


My Sweet Awkward Love

by Writer58



Category: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (Bay Movies)
Genre: Awkward Flirting, Awkwardness, Ballet Dancer, Complicated Relationships, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Lemon, Love Triangles, Misunderstandings, Pranks and Practical Jokes, Protective Raphael, cute moments, leo can’t cook, sassy donatello, twist ending
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-18
Updated: 2020-05-18
Packaged: 2021-03-03 04:27:22
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 19
Words: 50,212
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24248779
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Writer58/pseuds/Writer58
Summary: Leonardo is the older brother you never knew you wish you had, and his familial charm has you rooting for his unrequited love interest (Karai) that he’s been pining over for years. Thinking he’s just been reading the situation wrong, you agree to help him navigate the treacherous path of courtship.However, somewhere along the way, the lines between friendship, family and something more begins to blur, as you find yourself falling for the blue eyed leader.
Relationships: Donatello/April O'Neil (TMNT), Karai/Leonardo (TMNT), Leonardo (TMNT)/You, Michelangelo (TMNT)/You
Comments: 35
Kudos: 42





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> For those of you who have already read this book, I apologize for taking this down. With everything happening in the world I needed a little restart to everything. 
> 
> Hopefully I can get back into writing this, I have a lot planned out, and it’s just about getting to one of my favorite chapters! Thanks for hanging in there with me!

The scuff of slippers slid along worn wooden floors, each movement pulling a subtle groan from its tired planks. Overhead, the cathedral ceiling resonated with the delicate notes that seemed to float from the piano tucked in the corner of the room. 

An imposing woman strode with purpose between rows of dancers; hair pulled back into a tight bun, flecked with salt and pepper strands making her appearance seem almost regal, like a queen. Which wasn’t far from the truth. This room was her dominion, and we were her faithful subjects, and nothing escaped those piercing grey hawk eyes of hers. 

Her voice rang out, “One two-three, one two-three. Plié and back, two-three...” 

Your body was taught with concentration, feeling and adjusting to mimic the music from the ends of your toes to your delicately outstretched fingertips. One might consider your movements seductive if not for the grace that followed each gesture.

As a dancer, practice was the cornerstone of your existence. Your mistress was kind, but strict, knowing it wasn’t enough to be just “good” at what you did. She trained you until your feet and body were no longer your own, but an instrument of artistry. A moving tapestry of rhythm and beauty.

This was your life. This was your calling.

After a few more minutes, the sweet melody faded, and your instructor clapped her hands to signal the end of class.

Lowering yourself to the floor, you whimpered softly, gently kneading the tension out of your aching toes. Thankfully, today was the last day before summer break, and with it the glorious promise of warmer days and cool ice cream, the only things that had been keeping you going for the past five months.

Slowly, feeling began to creep back into your limbs, along with a renewed hope of being able to slink back home to your dorm room.

Ten blocks never looked so daunting.

Though, admittedly, the walk would probably do you some good after a nine hour practice like that. A thought that was quickly verified by the stinging sensation that ran down the center of your calves. Before your muscles seized up any further, you slung your dance bag over your shoulder and exited the building, tilting your head back to welcome the cool night air against your damp skin.

Humming softly, you twirled your lanyard around your fingertip, eyes drinking in the endless skyscrapers and buildings that were dotted with lights to a city that never seemed to sleep. Glowing patches of streetlights illuminated your path as you sidestepped the occasional passerby, oblivious to anything but their own agenda.

_Five more blocks._

Five more glorious blocks until you could fling your half-dead body into bed and snuggle under the duvet cover.

A sudden angry hiss broke your train of thought, causing you to turn and notice a group of cackling, drunken men huddled over a small box.

Two scraggly ears poked up from the cardboard container, followed by a yowl from the cat inside. You became even more incensed when one of the slobs began pouring his beer on the stray. The unfortunate thing shook as it sputtered and coughed beneath the foul liquid.

_What the hell is wrong with people??_

You marched towards the burly group, hackles raised and ready to lay the smackdown on all of them if need be. In hindsight, possibly something you should have given more thought to before acting upon.

”Hey!” you shouted angrily.

When none of the men acknowledged what you deemed to be a reasonably stern reprimand, you straightened your back and drew yourself taller, channeling your wrath down into one judicial finger that practically whipped out at them like a sword, “I said, HEY!”

The men slowly turned, their faces pulled into scowls of annoyance at whoever had decided to spoil their intoxicated fun.

You gulped slightly as you felt their heavy gaze land on you.  _ Well, too late to back down now. _ You willed the slight trembling in your finger to stop shaking as you leveled a stern look at them, ”Leave him alone!”

Their expressions soon changed, and you felt a man's gaze lick you from head to toe. This was most definitely not one of your brightest ideas. Unwilling to let them see your rising fear, you steadied your gaze and scowled back at them defiantly. You only wished your voice followed suit, ”Let him go. I-If you don't, I’ll report you!”

_ Stupid stutter. _

”Well, lookie what we have here, boys. A Captain America wannabe.” The largest, and likely leader of the group, smirked. His companions chuckled along beside him.

He took a long swig from his half-full bottle, the excess dribbling down his chin as he somehow managed to stumble his way towards you. You openly cringed at the man's sweaty paw that reached out and clamped your cheek between two of his overstuffed Vienna sausage fingers.

You slapped it away.

“Looks like we got ourselves a feisty one.” Grinning, he leaned back to study you, the way a collector analyzes a new bobble he’s about to buy. 

He turned and plucked the cat from the box, dangling it in front of you like some wet rag. Its fur dripped, saturated with an overwhelming stench of cheap booze as it looked at you pleadingly. A raspy yowl sputtered from the cat's lips as it hung helplessly from the man's hands.

“You wanna save the kitty?”

Clenching your teeth, you reached out, ”Give it to me. Now.”

He leaned forward, eyebrow raised mockingly, ”I didn't hear a please.”

It took everything within you not to smack the grin right off his stupid face as you bit out the word, ”Please.”

He straightened and glanced back at his friends, a sinister chuckle rumbling inside his chest. ”Well now, since you asked so politely...”

In one swift motion, he dropped the cat, booting it across the alley and slamming its small frame against the brick wall. It let out a sharp cry before falling motionless to the ground.

Your eyes widened in horror. You tried to rush to its side, but the leader clasped your wrist tightly in his hands, wrenching you back as he laughed, ”Whoah, whoah, whoah, where do you think  you're goin’? You deprived us of our fun; I think it's only fair that you make up for it.”

He ran his hand up along your side, suggestively. ”Now, what do you think an appropriate price would be for spoiling such a wonderful evening for the lads and me, eh?” he brought his nose down close to your ear, wrapping a lock of hair around his finger before taking a deep whiff of it.

Your free hand fished inside your back pocket, and you whipped out your mace spray. For a split second, you had the pleasure of seeing the man's eyes widen in panic before unloading the canister into his face.

He wrenched back, coughing and clawing at his eyes while a stream of profanity escaped his lips.

”That enough ’fun’ for ya?” you grinned at the flailing man.

He roared at his men, ”What the hell’re you just standin’ around for?! Get her!!!”

Quickly, you scooped up the cat and made a mad dash to anywhere that wasn't here. 

You ran faster that night than you’ve ever run in your entire life, hyper-aware of the pounding feet behind you as you cut in and out of unfamiliar alleyways.

_ Ok, Don't panic, it's fine. I just have no idea where the hell i’m going... _

You turned a corner and spotted an abandoned warehouse. Sure it looked like a perfect place to pitch a horror movie, but desperate times...

You quickly opened the door, and softly closed it behind you. Crouching, you could hear the dull thump of rapid steps just beyond the metal barrier. After some indistinct mumbling, their footsteps gradually grew faint.

You exhaled both nervously and thankfully.

Looking down in your arms at the small gangly cat, you checked to make sure it was still breathing. Its nostrils flared gently, and you breathed a sigh of relief before stroking its head. 

”Oh buddy, I thought you were a goner!”

It's dull green eyes shifted open, looking at you from the side as it let out a scratchy mew that darn near broke your heart.

”We gotta get you checked out, you're a mess.”

It mewed again, sounding somewhat insulted.

”Well have you looked at yourself?”

Its tail flicked.

”Yeah, that’s what I thought.” You scratched it's head, earning a throaty purr.

Feeling it was safe to venture out, you stood to leave, only to suddenly realize, there seemed to be noise further into the warehouse.

_ I thought this place was abandoned? _

Odd. But nothing unusual. Shrugging, you placed your hand on the doorknob, one foot just a step outside the door before the distinct sound of a girl screaming echoed through the building.

_ Oh no. No. This is absolutely how people end up getting themselves killed, when they start investigating things. Just keep walking. _

The girl's voice continued to rise in anger, ”Get your hands off me! Let go!”

You clenched your eyes shut, hoping that you were just hearing things.

”Don't you touch me!  _ Don't _ !”

_ Maybe it's a lovers quarrel? _

”HELP! Get off of me, you _creep_!! HELP!!!”

... _ dangit _ .

You placed the cat inside your dance bag, nestling it amongst your spare change of clothes and setting it alongside the exit.

”Don’t move. I’ll be right back.” you mumbled softly, ”I hope anyways.”

The cat snuggled its head down within the fabric, delighting in the warmth it had never experienced before on the streets.

You smiled at it before sighing,  _ ugh, it's started. I’m going to be that crazy cat lady. I just know it. _

You stepped further inside, shocked to hear so much activity, but still unable to see who or what was causing the noise. 

As you continued through the maze of stacked crates, you heard something that sounded similar to a docking bay. Hundreds of feet shuffled against cement floors that almost drowned out the persistent beeping of large moving trucks.

The shrill yell of the female's voice once again split through the industrial noise, ”You bastards! When my friends get here you are SO dead!"

You froze.  _ That didn't sound good . _

A low voice hissed, "Shut it, or else."

"Or else  what ?" She challenged.

The crack of knuckles striking against flesh sang out amongst the crates, followed by a male voice groaning in pain as the assailant began punching him in the gut.

"Casey!!" The woman cried.

You knew you were going to regret it, but you couldn't help taking a peek around the corner to see what was going on. A woman with long, dark hair was tied to a fairly well-built man, who was now hunched over with blood pouring from his mouth. His eye had already begun to swell shut; it's bloated shape emphasized by the shiny black and blue ring forming around it.

You cursed silently.  _ Knew I shouldn't have looked. _

Nevertheless, what had been seen couldn't be unseen, and now you had no choice but to help. You looked out over the warehouse, realizing that the scuffle of feet belonged to a legion of ninjas. They scuttled cargo back and forth from several large trucks in what looked to be a smuggling operation.

_ Ugh, what am I supposed to do?! I'm a ballerina for crying out loud, not some James Bond apprentice! _

Though this evening would have you believe otherwise. _Ballerina by day, saving strays, and damsels by night. And apparently dudes too._

You mentally chanted to yourself to breath. Obviously there was no way you'd be able to take on this slew of ninjas by yourself. So what  could you do?!

”Oh!” you fished in your pocket for the small swiss army knife you were sure you had. Clicking out the one item that actually looked like a knife, you scrutinized its unfortunate size.

_I’d be lucky to cut a piece of cake with this._

It’d have to do.

"Just need to figure out a way to quietly get rid of the guard." You looked back towards the heavily armed ninjas walking around.

You could already feel your pits pouring with sweat as adrenaline surged through your veins. Taking a deep breath, you began to make your way forward.


	2. Chapter 2

Slouching in the shadows, you felt somewhat cheated that you didn't have your own theme music playing in the background, especially for a situation this crazy. You definitely deserved one, or so you felt anyways. 

A quick scan of the area revealed a couple of discarded spray canisters near your feet. Ok, so it wasn't a cool 007 gadget, but it was enough.

You chucked one of the empty canisters towards the back of the crates, the distance giving you ample time to free the hostages, but close enough for the guard to hear the disturbance. As the can ricocheted off the wooden boards, the mans head swiveled, ears attuned to the sharp clanking of cheap tin as it bounced along the floor. Casting a glance towards his hostages, the guard tentatively made his way back towards the crates.

_Ya know, I honestly can't believe that worked..._

With another hesitant look, you confirmed the guard was nowhere in sight. Quietly, you scurried over to the two captives and tapped on the girl's shoulder. Her eyes widened, and you quickly pressed a finger to your lips, motioning for her to stay quiet as you held up your unimpressive knife. She nodded in silent acknowledgment, turning towards the shuffle of ninjas so as not to attract unwanted attention. You glanced at the man tied to her; his head lulled forward as a string of blood continued to flow from both his mouth and nose.  _Poor guy_.

You began sawing at the ropes, noticing with an increasing sense of panic that they were much thicker than you had anticipated.

As your anxiety increased, your hands began to sweat, making it harder to grip the smooth handle of the multi-faceted contraption. In your haste, the blade slipped, the edge of it skipping the rope and cleaving a clean cut along the side of your hand. You stifled your reflex to cry out, biting your lip as you quickly grabbed the knife again and resumed sawing at the thick chords. 

This was  _not_ how you envisioned your evening going.

Nervously, you glanced back at the crates, knowing you had little time left before the guard came back.

Finally, the last strand snapped. You couldn't help the victorious grin that began to spread across your face. Unfortunately, your success was short-lived as a familiar voice growled from behind, "And what, exactly, do you think you're doing?"

_Crap!!_

The guard towered over you; his eyes ablaze with unconstrained fury as he regarded you the way grizzly bears eye picnic baskets. Reflexively, you grabbed for your mace again, pointing it at his face and squeezing with all your might. He flinched and took a few steps back. When nothing happened, he warily peeked out at you. A small knowing smile crept across his face as he realized the bottle was empty, ”Like I said, what do you think you're doing?”

You cursed beneath your breath.  _Must have unloaded it all on that drunk guy._

Suddenly, the brunette was up out of her seat and punching the guard square in the face.

"Escaping, that's what."

The attack was so sudden it left him little time to react. Heck, it left you little time to process he’d even been hit. You watched in awe as his body seemed to tilt like a great oak tree being felled before he collapsed in an unconscious heap on the ground.

You looked at the fallen guard in stunned silence. _Wow, so, that just happened. Note to self, do not get on this chicks bad side._

It suddenly occurred to you that the noise that once permeated the warehouse had gone strangely silent. As you glanced over your shoulder, you realized that all eyes were now trained on your small group.

_This night just keeps getting better and better._

You cried out, feet already moving before you even finished your sentence, "I think we need to go, like, NOW!"

As the three of you raced through the maze of boxes, flecks of wood rained down on your faces as razor-sharp stars lodged themselves into nearby crates.

The guy with the swollen face seemed to catch his second wind, his hockey stick swinging furiously back and forth as he tried deflecting some of the sharp objects from hitting you. He motioned towards the rapidly approaching door, "C'mon! Just a little further!"

The green exit sign flickered with the glow of heavenly salvation and the promise of freedom. The man flung the door open, followed closely by the brunette.

At the last minute, your eyes caught the small dance bag to the side of the door. Two gnarly ears perked themselves out, curious as to what all the commotion was about outside its walls of protection.

_OH NO! The cat!!!_

You bent down, your hands having just barely scooped up the handles of your bag when something metallic suddenly wrapped around your ankle.

It all happened so fast; you didn't even have time to see what the item was before it ripped your lower half out from beneath you. The motion momentarily suspended your body in the air, and the chain twisted, rolling your ankle with it unnaturally. The audible pop that followed made you cringe. You were vaguely aware of the rapidly approaching floor before your face bounced off the cement, the impact a dull crack that left a ringing in your ears.

Something warm and sticky began to trickle down the bridge of your nose. The stream made its way to your lips, and the unmistakable taste of iron and dust assaulted your tastebuds.

Blood.

Your blood.

Your breathing became more and more erratic, which only seemed to heighten the nauseous spinning of your senses.

You tried opening your eyes, but your vision swirled with the delirium of abstract shapes and colors bleeding into one another in some sick chaotic haze that you couldn't escape.

You could feel the ninjas beginning to surround you, their sinister chuckles ringing in your ears like white noise. Your body began to shake violently as the reality of your prediction started to sink in.

You clenched your teeth together. Fear wasn't going to get you out of this.

Then again, courage hadn’t been doing you any favors either, considering it's what got you into this mess in the first place.

Courage is so overrated.

You could feel their presence moving closer, and your body tensed like a caged tiger. One figure grabbed for you, but you lashed out, claws swinging and hair tumbling wildly forward as the loose strands stuck to your blood and sweat stricken face. Your breathing came out in ragged gasps as your mind focused solely on one thing.

Surviving.

Suddenly the lights went out, and the sound of clanging metal erupted all around you. You could hear the scuffling of feet, accompanied by your assailants' grunts and groans, their limp bodies hitting the ground with the same slap as pizza dough falling to the floor.

And then.... silence.


	3. Chapter 3

Unable to make anything out, you tried standing, only to feel a sharp pain shoot through your ankle that instantaneously made you sick to your stomach. You could feel the bile beginning to rise, stinging that weird little punch bag at the back of your throat, the name of which you could never remember. You swallowed hard, pushing the burning sensation back down your esophagus. Throwing up was never really your thing. Crumpling to the ground, your hand landed on something long and metallic. Clenching it tightly, you knew it was probably going to be your only form of protection. 

There was a shuffle of feet nearby. Unsure if it was friend or foe, you swung blindly at the sound, daring whoever it was to come closer. 

"W-Who's there?” 

_Bah! This was embarrassing._

You must have daydreamed about this kind of scenario thousands of times. Dangerous situations where you were the last person standing, fighting not only for your safety but for the safety of others. Somehow you always imagined yourself being a bit more, I don’t know, heroic? Definitely not a frightened bundle of nerves desperately clinging to a mystery object for protection. 

Your hands trembled as you held your weapon out in front of you. At least whatever it was seemed to keep the person at bay. 

Your ears strained to hear over the blood pounding in them while your eyes squinted, scanning your surroundings, but your vision remained largely unchanged, offering up fragments of colors and indistinct shapes. 

You tried chanting to yourself that this was no time to panic.

...But who were you kidding? This was the perfect time to panic. In fact, if ever a time, it was now. Whoever this individual was, they just took out a legion of ninjas by themselves, and now they were coming for you. 

The person shifted again, a sound so faint it was little more than a gentle scrape against the dust coated floor. They were close, maybe just a little to the left? You swung the object towards the sound, noting the ease in which it sliced through the air. 

A voice finally broke the silence, "ok! Ok! Easy miss! Easy! I'm not going to hurt you." 

_A guy, huh?_

You squinted your eyes, trying to see who was there but only able to determine the persons inhumanly large size based off their backlit silhouette. Their sole defining feature some sort of blue item across their face. 

Cautiously, you scooted back, "Who are you? How do I know I can trust you?" 

Part of you admonished your silly question, noting that if he was, in fact, a bad guy, there's no way he would be telling you the truth. 

The stranger stepped out further into the light, your blurred vision registering the different tones of green that covered his entire body, unlike the ninjas earlier who wore only black. 

He paused, hesitant to get closer as if waiting for you to react. 

You furrowed your brow in frustration, "I... I can't see. My vision went blurry after I hit my head." 

He let out a sigh that almost sounded like relief, "I guess you'll just have to take my word that I'm one of the good guys then." 

_Seriously?! Does he think I’m going to entrust my life to him with that kind of response?_

When it was apparent you weren't going to lower your weapon; he continued, "Thank you for helping save our friends, by the way." 

The statement piqued your interest. Was he talking about the two hostages? 

”April called us beforehand; you just happened to get to the party a little faster than us.” The light humor was well intentioned, but his voice seemed to be laced with guilt. 

The name ”April” didn't ring a bell. You wondered if he was referring to the woman in the chair. You  did recall her saying to the guard that he’d be sorry when her friends got here. Maybe this guy was one of the aforementioned ”friends”? It suddenly dawned on you that perhaps you had inadvertently helped someone who was connected to the mafia. It would explain the overwhelming force that this man had dished out. Also, you realized, she had said "friend s" , not "friend". This was just one man, which meant there had to be more of them around here somewhere. 

You cleared your throat, needing to test the waters a bit more, ”So, does that mean you know the guy she was tied up with as well?” 

"Casey? Yeah.” There was a grin in his voice as he continued fondly, ”He's a little rough around the edges, but you get used to him." 

You relaxed slightly, remembering her shout that name right before the man was beaten to a pulp. Maybe this guy really  _was_ telling the truth. 

He inched a little closer, and instinctively you brought your weapon back up, holding the base of it shakily against your chest. 

The man didn't make any more moves towards you, "it's ok, I promise." He murmured. 

His voice was deep and powerful, assertive yet kind. Under different circumstances, it would have been enough to melt you into a puddle. However, right now, you were gambling with your life. 

Taking a deep breath, and against your better judgment, you lowered your weapon. 

"I’m um... I’m (y/n).” You shifted nervously. ”Look, if... if you  _are_ one of the bad guys, just, please don't turn me into a skin suit.” 

There was a slight pause before a chuckle of disbelief spilled from his lips. ”Why on earth would I turn you into a skin suit?” 

You grinned uncertainly, ”I dunno. Guess I’ve watched too many crime shows.” 

He shook his head, but you noticed a flash of white streak across his face that implied he might be smiling. ”Well, rest assured, I will not be turning you into a skin suit since I have no use for such a thing.” Pausing, he chuckled, ”Now, a satchel on the other hand...” 

You pulled your weapon back up, ”Don’t even-” 

”kidding! Kidding.” he waved two green stump-like things in front of him, which you presumed to be his hands. He mumbled sheepishly, ”Sorry, th-that was in bad taste.” 

His sudden shyness made you grin. He kind of seemed like a dork. ”What's your name?" 

"Leonardo, but you can call me Leo." 

Your brow furrowed, ”Leonardo? That's an unusual name.” 

”Oh, um, my dad has a thing for Renaissance artists.” 

”Oh. Right. Makes sense.” 

There’s an awkward pause, and you hear him shift on the balls of his feet. ”It’s weird, I know.” 

You put your hands up, ”No! No, not at all! Th-That’s not what I meant. It’s just a name you don't often hear these days!” You grinned reassuringly, ”I like it, though.” 

”Really?” 

”Yes, really!” You weren't sure what to think of this back and forth. It would seem odd to boost the confidence of someone who might end up being your killer. 

His voice softened almost bashfully, ”Well, thank you...” 

You felt a tinge of warmth spread across your cheeks at how polite he seemed. You shook your head:  _Killer, y/n. He might be a killer. Keep reminding yourself of that!_

After a minute, he started to reach for you but soon thought better of it. Clearing his throat, he asked, ”Um, do you mind if I-?” 

Realizing he was asking for permission to touch you, your words fumble out, ”Oh, I-I guess… I mean, sure...” 

He moved closer, and suddenly you were encased by the pleasant aroma that seemed to drift from his direction. Before you could ascertain what the scent reminded you of, your attention shifted to the gentle brushing of his fingers against your skin as he moved the hair away from your forehead. 

His voice turned somber, "That gash of yours looks pretty nasty..." 

"Yes, well, apparently, my face doesn’t play well with the floor." You awkwardly smiled, trying to make the injury seem less severe than it probably appeared. 

If he caught your joke, you couldn't tell, his demeanor changing to all business as he assessed your condition. "Can you walk?" 

You shook your head, "I think I twisted my ankle." 

He grunted, acknowledging your predicament. His hands traveled down your calves, gently prodding and squeezing until you flinched when he reached your right ankle. 

He hummed thoughtfully, pausing momentarily before continuing, "I think it would be best if I took you to get patched up. If that's ok, of course?” 

Well, if he  was a bad guy, he was the most chivalrous evildoer you'd ever met. 

You nodded. 

He was right; you probably should get to a hospital. Lord only knows how much blood you'd lost at this point. 

He scooped you up into his arms, carrying you bridal style as if you weighed next to nothing. The side of your body pressed flush against his, making you all the more aware of his sturdy frame. 

_Is this dude a bodybuilder or something?!_

Your hands naturally rested against his chest, noting the hard structure that seemed beaten and chipped in various places. A breastplate, maybe? 

_...this guy did NOT come dressed up as a superhero or something, did he?_

As you looked a little closer, you realized the blue color on his face wrapped around his head like a mask. 

You sighed. Of course you'd be saved by some guy who was into superhero role-play. Props to him though for putting in the time to workout and make the elaborate costume. Your fingers brushed over his skin. 

_Dang! He even made the fabric out of leather! He must be sweating like crazy under all that! Now here is a man dedicated to his craft. Good for you, sir. Good for you._

Regardless of what he was into, what mattered most was that you were safe, and this "Leo" person was kind enough to lend his help. 

_… I think anyways…_

You relaxed into his arms, recognizing for the first time the throbbing ache where your head had struck the ground. 

_That’s going to sting in the morning._

Through the blurry haze, you looked up at the man who saved you, murmuring softly, "Leo, huh?" 

It really was a nice name, rolling off your tongue like a sweet sigh. 

The man bent his head down to look at you. Almost as if pulled by some invisible force, you reached up and touched his face. 

Your breath caught. 

This couldn't be right; even the skin on his head felt leathery. How was that possible- 

Unfortunately, that's as far as your thoughts got before your hand went limp, and everything faded to black.


	4. Chapter 4

"Ughhh," you groaned. 

Your body ached all over; each limb feeling like a train had run over them several times. Slowly, you sat up, putting a hand to your throbbing temple. An ice pack shifted, revealing a loosely wrapped bandage around your head. 

"Where am I?" 

Looking around, you noticed this was definitely  _not_ a hospital. It was more like... a man cave? You sniffed,  _ugh, a man cave in the sewers._

You were resting on a worn-out couch, your body cocooned in a fortress of stuffed pillows and blankets that made the makeshift bed rather comfortable. 

Your vision started to swim slightly; you figured perhaps from turning too quickly. You were fairly sure those floating orbs weren't there a moment ago. Settling back down into your cloud of comfort, you tried recalling the events that lead up to your current location. 

"M'kay, sooo first there was the cat and those stupid goons that were picking on it." You realized, sadly, that you didn't know what happened to the poor stray. You could only hope he got out of the warehouse before someone injured him in the fight. "And then there were those two people being held hostage by some crazy ninja gang..." You chewed on your lip as you replayed the evening. "And then... we were being chased before I got caught." You touched your forehead, wincing at the sting that followed. "But then, how did I escape?" 

Suddenly you bolted upright again, "OH MY GOSH! I-I just let some random stranger take me!! Jeeze (y/n), what is wrong with you!?" You smacked your brow "Oww!!!!" The already loose bandage slowly slipped from your forehead. 

Well, it didn't look like they had done anything to you other than treat your wounds. Thankfully your clothes all looked like they stayed in place. However, you could never be too careful. Sure they were playing nice now, but for all you knew, they could be a bunch of psychos. Or, maybe this was some secret dungeon that the mafia took their captives down to for interrogation. Whatever the case, you weren't about to wait around and find out. 

You flung the blankets back and rolled your body to the floor with a pathetic "whump", your ankle far too tender to put any weight on it. 

"Just gotta find a way to get out, before whoever lives here comes back..." 

Looking around the den of gadgets and games, you noticed several openings in the wall and chose the one that looked most promising. Using your arms and elbows, you pulled your body along the ground towards what you hoped to be an exit. Despite your overwhelming exhaustion, your will to avoid becoming someone's underground hostage outweighed the physical pain you were experiencing. 

Suddenly you heard multiple voices echoing down one of the tunnels behind you.  _Oh god, how many of them were there??_ Mustering as much strength as you could, you quickly pulled your body past the opening and behind a wall to conceal yourself. 

Panting, your vision began to flicker again. 

_No! Not yet!_

You turned to continue working your way across the space, only to realize the room you pulled yourself into looked oddly out of place. It reminded you of a - dojo? 

"What th..." 

The area was quiet, peaceful, and serene. A large sparring mat sat in the middle of the room; its fabric worn from use. 

"...Did...Did I get kidnapped by homeless samurai or something?" 

A throaty chuckle rose from behind you. "An interesting query, considering one cannot be homeless, should one have a home to return to." 

Gasping, you whirled around. Your eyes grew large at the unexpected sight of a giant rat in martial arts clothes standing before you. 

_He's in martial arts clothes._

_There is a RAT, standing in front of me, in martial arts clothes._

_I'm sorry, I'm sorry...did he just TALK as well???_

He was huge. And not like "he's large for his species" kind of big, I mean he was literally almost as tall as you! You could feel yourself beginning to hyperventilate. 

_This cant be real! I'm just hallucinating because of my head injury. Why else would there be a-_

_Giant._

_Talking._

_Rat._

_-standing in front of me?_

Just as your brain was beginning to accept that you were simply going mad, three larger shadows appeared from behind him. 

"Oh my  gosh ! How are you even moving? That medicine I administered to you should have knocked you out for another day or so...!" One of the figures exclaimed.

Instinctively you began scooting away. 

"Stay away! S-Stay away or I'll... I'll..." You looked around frantically for a weapon,  any weapon, and grabbed the thing closest to you, "...I'll use THIS!!" 

Swinging the item in self-defense, you realized (a little too late) that the object in your hands was a nunchuck, the end of which boomeranged itself back towards you and smacked you square in the jaw. 

"OW!!" You tenderly put a hand up to your cheek. Heat radiated off of the red welt that had already begun to form where the weapon decided to high-five your face. 

"Pffffft!!" One of the shadows burst out laughing, "What? Ya gonna kill us with comedy?" Their gruff voice mocked you sarcastically. 

"See?! Those things aren't as easy as they look! You gotta respect the chuck!" Another voice, this one more playful than the last. 

The three figures started to move towards you. Turning your head away, you squeezed your eyes shut. This was the end; you were sure of it. Maybe somewhere in the back of your brain, you hoped this was all just a dream, and when you opened your eyes again, you'd be somehow back in your bedroom. 

You held your breath. 

After a moment, when nothing seemed to happen, you chanced a look and saw the rat peering down its long furry nose at you with gentle, understanding eyes. "My child, do not be afraid. We are here to help you." His voice was calm and soft. Reassuringly, he pointed to your bandaged body, "My son, Donatello, was the one who treated your wounds and ankle." 

Slowly you began to uncurl yourself, peeping behind the rat to see the individual he was referring to. Part of you expected to see three more gigantic rats. You could only imagine the look on your face when the bodies that emerged from the shadows turned out to be... 

"Tuh-tuh-t-t-tur-tur-tur" 

"What's the matter? Cat got your tongue?" A turtle with an orange mask stepped forward. Sidling up next to you, he wrapped his green, well-toned arm around your neck and pulled you closer. 

"What up, babycakes?! Bet you never seen a walking, talking turtle like me before!" 

_Correction, more like I've never seen a turtle do any one of those things before._

"Th' name's Mikey! As you may have already noticed, I'm the groups most charming, stylish, handso-" 

"Annoying," a gruff voice from the back interjected. 

Mikey glared back at him, "As I was  saying ... HANDSOME... and overall awesomest member." He stuck his tongue out at the others, "and these here are my brothers!" 

Both turtles were somewhat larger than this 'Mikey' guy was. The one in red looked like he was literally formed out of muscles, easily putting Arnold Schwarzenegger to shame. His eyes locked onto you, scrutinizing you from head to toe. 

The other seemed more timid, — shy. His hands and feet fidgeted awkwardly when your eyes landed on him. Pointing to this turtle (his face covered with a purple bandana), Mikey continued, "This is Donatello, our super brainy, mastermind and inventor extraordinaire!" He leaned over and whispered to you, "Don't let that genius disguise fool you though, he still sleeps with his baby blanket-" 

"MIKEY!! That was ONE time!!" Looking back at you, he smiled sheepishly, "You can just call me Donnie. I hope your injuries are feeling better. If there's anything I can do to make you more comfortable, just let me know. I'm normally in my lab, so just pop in anytime! Well, unless you see smoke coming out, in which case something has probably exploded. Not that I'm doing anything illegal!" In his nervousness, Donnie began to ramble, his words coming out faster than what you could comprehend. 

"OOOK! Thank you, Donnie. Moving on!" With a flourish, Mikey danced over to muscles, the turtle with the red bandanna. This one looked less than amused; his face scrunched into a sour expression of annoyance. Mikey continued unperturbed, "And this cuddly bear of love is Raphael! Don't squeeze him; he'll stab you in the face. Hahaha, I'm just kidding! But seriously..." His childish demeanor morphed into a stony expression of complete sincerity at his last remark. "He is not a hugger." 

Affectionately rubbing the rat's head, Mikey then introduced, "...and this is our father, Master Splinter! You can call him Sensei, Splinter, Master Splinter, Splinty, Splintz, Dad, Pops, Daddio..." 

You kept trying to process the scene in front of you. How was this even possible? Where did they come from?! Could big rats father turtle offspring?! Your mind began to run down a rabbit hole with questions that had no plausible answers. 

"...The Ratanator..." 

"Nobody calls him that," Raphael grumbled. 

"Well, I keep tryin’, but none of you seem to be willing to give it a shot!" Mikey folded his arms over his chest in frustration. 

Suddenly your vision began flickering again. "Ugh!!" You struggled to keep your eyes open, but they felt like lead. Your arms started to shake, straining to keep yourself propped up. The world spun, and your head with it. 

"Babycakes! What's wrong!?" You felt Mikey's arms wrap behind you, steadying your back as a look of concern flashed across his face. 

He was much closer, and you realized:  _Awe, he has freckles..._

But before you could say anything, your consciousness slipped into darkness once again. 

Mikey's shoulders sagged in defeat. Splinter sighed, "Do not let this trouble you, my son; she only needs time to come to terms with us." 

Donatello leaned over and patted his younger brother's shoulder, "Don't worry, Mikey. Honestly, I think it's just the medicine I gave her finally kicking in. I'll be back in a bit with a vitals scanner," and with that, he scampered away into his lab. 

Mikey scratched the back of his neck, unsure of what to do. Splinter glanced at him, "Michelangelo, get ready for your night patrol. Leonardo will soon be back from his shift. Raphael, please carry our guest back to the couch." 

Raph grunted and picked you up in his arms. You were so light, like a doll that he could easily snap in two. This was why he didn't like humans, too skittish, too easy to break and too freaked out by what they didn't understand. He looked down at your resting form, wondering if you would be any different from the rest of the humans they came across. Wondering if you too would label them freaks. Monsters. 

Your head lulled towards Raph's chest, and his breath caught momentarily at the contact of your soft skin against his rough platelet. "Tsk," he huffed as he walked towards the couch. 

Laying you down, Raph fluffed the pillows behind your head as gently as he knew how — which isn't saying much. As he turned to leave, he felt a small hand grasp his. Looking down, he saw your eyes blink open slightly as you murmured, "Thank you" before your hand fell from his grasp. 

Raph's eyes softened. Nothing to thank him for; he just carried you to the couch fer crying out loud. 

_What a dope of a girl._

A grin tugged at his cheeks. He looked around quickly to make sure no one else was watching. Gently he ruffled your hair, tucking you a little more securely into the blankets. You were still a bit of a mess from the fight, your face patched with dirt and dried blood. He couldn't say you were pretty like April, but you weren't ugly by any means either. He watched you for a little longer as you slept peacefully before turning to go back to his room. 

"Awwweeeeee, that was adorable, Raph." Teased Donatello, who had been standing at the entrance of his lab, watching the hallmark scene unfold. 

"Sh-Shut up!" Raph spat out as he stormed off towards his room, unwilling to look back lest his brother see the red that tinted his cheeks. 


	5. Chapter 5

I'm in a cloud. A soft, fluffy, perfect cloud . Your mind snuggled into bliss.

"Mmmm... So comfy..." Nestled like a little mini blanket burrito, you rustled around in your fluffy cocoon and groaned.

_Don't wanna get up_.

Regretfully though, you knew there was a lot that you needed to do today to practice for next semester. You poked your arms out and stretched like a lion after a satisfying afternoon nap. A twinge of pain in your ankle brought you out of your groggy state, and your half lidded eyes began to register your surroundings.

You blinked.

Something wasn't quite right.

You blinked again, realizing you were in fact, not in your dorm room.

Gradually, you became more alert, and the reality of past events hit you like a cold bucket of water. So it wasn't a dream. You really were taken down to the sewers. Did that mean that  _they_ were down here too?!

You look around for any sign of life, and noticed a girl sitting in a chair nearby reading a book. You recognized her immediately from the warehouse. Your heart jumped for joy at seeing a familiar (human) face.

"Hey!" You called out, "You're that lady who was tied up! Are you ok?! Where's that other guy that was with you?"

Turning, she laughed, "YOU'RE the one all bandaged up, and you're asking me if I'M ok?!" Setting down her book she walked over and plopped down on the edge of the couch. "I'm April. Reporter for Channel 6 News. My friend Casey was the guy tied up with me."

You vaguely remember that name for some reason.

April continued, "we were trying to find out what the foot-clan were smuggling." She looked down sheepishly, "But it looks like the main cargo fled during the fight. Sorry we got you caught up in all this... Um?"

_I was right! It WAS a smuggling operation._ You smiled to yourself, giving your inner detective a small pat on the back.

You glanced up to see her looking at you expectantly, "Oh! Sorry! I'm (y/n)... and really it's no big deal, I'm just glad you guys are safe." You fidgeted with the blanket in your hand, unsure how you should ask this next question, "Hey, listen..."

Checking around you quickly, you leaned towards April and whispered, "I know this is going to sounds totally crazy, but you haven't perchance seen 3 large walking, talking turtles and a massive rat have you?"

You fully expected this lady to think you were one step short of the crazy wagon, so it came as no surprise to you when April threw her head back and laughed.

"Sorry! I'm not laughing at you I promise!" She wiped the tears from her eyes as she chuckled. "I had the same reaction when I first met the guys. I can assure you, you're not going crazy." She gave you a sympathetic look.

"So you've seen them too!? Man, for a second I thought for sure i was hallucinating!"

She shook her head, "Please don't be afraid, they're super nice I promise. Maybe a little weird at times, but nice." Motioning to someone behind her, you saw four turtle heads suddenly pop out from around the corner.

"I heard that April. Who's a little weird, eh?" The one with a red bandana said as they approached the two of you, shoving April playfully.

She laughed, "Well you ARE all a little unique." She motioned towards Mikey, "I heard you were already introduced to a few of the guys."

You looked at the turtles standing before you, still in awe that:

1.) They even existed and

2.) Not only did they exist, but they could literally talk just like any other human and

3.) ... (and you hated to admit this) but, shockingly good looking. Was it weird to think that?

Not meaning to be rude, you quickly shook yourself out of your daze and nodded, "Uh.. Yeah... I think I remember. Sorry, I was kinda groggy at the time, but...Mikey, Donatello (Donnie) and Raphael, right?" You pointed to each turtle as you named them off.

"Yeah boiiiiiiii!!! You hear that guys?! She remembered my name!" Mikey enthusiastically stepped forward and gave you a high five, or... high three in this case?

"She remembered all our names ya moron." Raph rolled his eyes.

"Yeah but she remembered mine first!" Mikey countered.

You giggled at their playful bantering. April was right, they may be different but they seemed like nice people. Er, turtles? Turtle people?

Whatever they were, at least they didn't look like they wanted to eat you.

Your eyes drifted to the last turtle wearing a blue bandanna. His posture stoic as he looked at you with piercing eyes as blue as the sea. Blue... you remembered that color from the warehouse. You smiled at him, "I remember you. I think you said your name was Leonardo?" He smiled back at you and nodded.

"Please, just call me Leo. You're looking better. Donnie did a good job patching you up." He came over to the couch and dropped to one knee so he was eye level with you. Cupping your cheek, he brought your face closer to his as he softly brushed away the hair from your forehead. You could feel his breath lightly playing over your skin, and your cheeks instantly flushed at your close proximity.

_What is happening?! Stop it face! He's a turtle for crying out loud!_ Despite your inner chastisement though, your heart continued to beat furiously.

Gently rubbing his large thumb over an area on your forehead, you felt a dull pain, like he was pressing on a bruise. You winced.

"Sorry." His hand dropped away from you as he sighed. "I'd like to have Donnie monitor you as you recover. You twisted your ankle pretty good, and now that The Foot have seen you with us, they might come back and try to kidnap you." Leo looked at you apologetically, "For now, I think it might be safer for you to lay low here with us for a bit."

Raph scoffed, "Yeah, speaking of people coming after us, I saw your little girlfriend Karai with that group we busted at the warehouse. Still think she's on our side Leo?"

"Cool it, Raph. She's just confused." Leo sighed and looked at the ground. "We just have to give her some time." His face hardened into something between frusteration and grief.

"You have a girlfriend?" You cocked your head.

_Jeez, he's a turtle and has more dating game than I do_ _._ You sighed internally.

Leo looked at you with a start, "What?! Oh, ah..N-no, she's not my girlfriend!!" He blushed bright red. "I-I mean... that is to say, I haven't, I mean, we haven't...." He twiddled his thumbs nervously as he fumbled over his words.

Your eyes widened.  _Could this guy get any cuter?!_ You couldn’t help but squee a little bit.

Mikey started laughing, "Karai is Leo's giiiiirl cruuuuush" he started running around the lair singing, "Karai and Leo sitting in a tree! K-I-S-S-I-N-G!"

"Omg Mikey!! Shut up!!" Leo chased after his younger brother, desperate to put an end to his singing, and quite possibly his life.

Laughing at their brotherly discord, you could feel yourself slowly adjusting to their appearance. Admittedly, it was a little jarring at first, but really, they were just like anyone else. Well, if your average person was a ninja, fighting crime that is.

You looked around the den appreciatively with new eyes. Clearly you guys were in the sewers, but the area felt warm and inviting, much like the turtles themselves.

You looked away from the brothers, ashamed you'd judged them prematurely. Looking down you mumbled, "Sorry..."

The guys all stopped what they were doing and looked at you quizzically.

"I mean, sorry for freaking out when I first met you... it was just a lot to take in all at once." You scratched your cheek sheepishly, "You seem like really decent people, and I never thanked you for saving me back at the warehouse.

Donnie approached you and patted your shoulder encouragingly, "It's ok. That's kinda what we do. And I'd say you had a pretty standard human reaction given the circumstances." You smiled up at him appreciatively.

Suddenly, a low rumble came from the pit of your stomach. You hadn't even thought about how long it had been since you last ate. The rumble soon turned into a roar. You hugged your tummy to drown out the noise, but it was too late. Mortified, you blushed a magnificent red.

The guys and April laughed at you.

"Girl, now you're talkin' my kinda language!! Let's get some grub!" Mikey started heading towards the kitchen with Raph and Donnie in tow.

"Hope you don't mind pizza, cuz that's all these guys eat down here." April rolled her eyes.

To make a point, your stomach let out another gurgle to indicated that it didn't care what it was, as long as it was food.

Leo let out a throaty chuckle and nodded towards you, "I got her April, we'll meet you in there." Coming over to you, Leo began scooping you up in his arms. As he got closer, his scent tickled your nose, a mellow fragrance of green tea and lemongrass. As his hands began to sink underneath your legs, your heart began to flutter again, and instinctively you pushed away from him, "I-I can get there on my own!"

Leo cocked an eyebrow, "oh really?" He stepped back and made a sarcastic sweeping motion with his hand as if saying "be my guest". You furrowed your brow at him. Holding your head high you pushed yourself off the couch, taking a moment to steady yourself on your good leg. Normally you had impeccable balance, but because of your lack of food you had little strength, and therefore found yourself toppling over within the first 10 hops. You braced yourself for the impact, but instead felt a pair of large hands wrapping around your waist before you could hit the floor.

Leo scooped you up and peered down at you, "No offense, but this is just painful to watch. Also, by the time you get there, Mikey will have eaten all the food"

Your stomach protested.  _Traitor_ .

Leo grinned at you, "and I don't want our guest to go hungry her first night here."

Frowning at him, you tried to suppress the odd butterflies flitting about in your stomach.

Blushing shyly, you mumbled "j-just this once then..."

* * *

Over dinner it was decided that Leo would be your caretaker while you were staying with them. You suggested that you could continue sleeping on the couch, but that idea was quickly shot down. All the brothers agreed that the main living room was too active for you to sleep there, and no one wanted to tip toe around you.

Sighing, you gave in.

Once dinner was over, Leo carried you back to his room. On the way, you nervously fidgeted with your fingers. Leo felt your body tense as the two of you approached his door.

"Um" he quietly cleared his throat, "It's probably kind of weird .... being in the same bedroom as a mutant and all, but I promise you're completely safe with me."

Realizing what he thought you were nervous about, you waved your hands frantically, trying to clear up the misunderstanding, "Ah! No! It's not because you're a mutant or anything..." your voice trailed off, embarrassed to continue on. You mumbled something incoherent.

"What was that?" Leo tilted his head.

"I've neverbeejdnxjx..." You tried mumbling a little louder.

"Huh?" He leaned a little closer.

"I've never been inaboysroomodjfnfb"

"Yeah still didn't catch that." He shook his head.

"I'VE NEVER BEEN IN A BOYS ROOM BEFORE!!!" You shouted in frustration. Your cheeks flushed.

Leo stopped dead in his tracks, trying to process what you just confessed to him.   


So, it wasn't because he was a mutant... it was because... he was a boy??

He smiled inwardly, amazed that within such a short period of time you were already moving past their odd outward appearance.

He softly chuckled, "You're kinda weird".

"Well excuse me for being weird!!" You shot back at him, misinterpreting his meaning. Folding your arms, you puffed out your cheeks and turned your head away from him.

From the side you looked like an angry chipmunk, effectively ruining your attempt to look genuinely upset. Pursing his lips together, Leo turned his head away from you, trying to keep from laughing at your sour expression.  _Pfft! Too cute!_

It probably did seem a little weird, especially at this age, to have not been in a guys room yet.  He didn't have to actually say it though!  You grumbled inwardly.

In all honesty, you'd been much too busy in High School with sports and club activities to bother with boys in any other capacity other than being classmates. It didn't help when you told your parents what you wanted to go to college for, and they flat out refused to help financially.   


Then came the jobs and late night work. You really didn't have time to dwell on boys, and instead opted for living your life vicariously through your friends at school and their relationship dramas. 

Sometimes listening to their stories made you wonder if having a boyfriend was really worth it. The amount of times you had to console broken hearts was more than you'd care to remember.

All that to say, you weren't really sure what you were expecting a boys room to be like. Messy clothes discarded everywhere? Plates stacked high? Odd odors emanating from some unidentified growth in the corner? You would have definitely expected naughty magazines halfheartedly hidden beneath the mattress.

Leo's room though, looked like a monk took up residency. Immaculate to a tee, everything was exactly in its place. The minimal amount of furniture he did have was clean and well taken care of. A coffee table sat off to the side, holding a tea set, incense burner and a small stack of books. His bed, shoved to the furthest corner of the room, was a fairly large mattress (not surprising considering his size) stacked on top of palettes to keep it off the cool cement floor. On it was a dark navy duvet cover that had been nicely folded back with navy and grey pillows. The room could be described as industrial, but retained some of its warmth and coziness with the occasional lit candle that could be found on shelves scattered throughout the room.

Leo placed you gently on the bed. "Wait here a sec, I'll go get an ice pack." After a few minutes, he returned with an ice pack and another pillow. Sitting on the edge of the mattress, Leo ordered, "Lay back." You did so, as he elevated your ankle with the pillow and placed the ice pack on it. The coolness gave immediate relief to your swollen limb. Leo nodded, satisfied with his care. "Keep it elevated like this, and let me know when you need a new pack."

You smiled and poked him in the side, "thanks mom."

"Yeah yeah, you'll thank me when it heals faster." He poked your side back.

"AH!! Hahaha! Dooon't!!! I'm super ticklish!!" You snort laughed and squirmed away from his finger.

_Did I seriously just snort in front of him???_ Mortified, you sighed inwardly,  _aaand this is why I'm still single._

You saw a quick mischievous glint in his eye, and he grinned wickedly at you, "You don't say! I'll be sure to remember that."

"Don't you dare do anything shifty! And no telling the others!" Your intense ticklishness was a well kept secret from your peers. Leo was in fact the first person to find out about this besides your immediate family. You stuck out your pinky, "Promise you won't tell the others" you looked at him in all seriousness.

He laughed thinking you were joking, but you continued to hold out your pinky and leveled a stern gaze at him, "promise!"

He swallowed his laughter and took your pinky in his. His face the picture of a man taking an oath that he would carry to his grave. Shaking on it, you nod with approval, "you're bound by the pinky promise now." You winked at him and he nodded solemnly. 

Not sure how to continue the conversation, the two of you sat there in silence, fidgeting uncomfortably.

You were, unfortunately, not gifted in the art of small talk. You fumbled around in your limited bank of conversation topics, when your thoughts landed on something that had peaked your curiosity earlier. Relaxing more into the bed, you propped yourself up on one elbow, "Sooooo.... Karai huh?"

You felt him tense immediately. Shoot, maybe you had moved a little too fast? He looked away from you, his expression sad and uncertain.

"Ah! Sorry! You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to. I just... I mean you just seemed so animated before when Mikey brought her up. Figured there was a story behind that..." you hastily said before you got yourself into deeper waters with your new host.

"There's nothing to tell..." Leo shrugged and looked back at you. "She's part of an enemy gang, and I have to kill her father."

You whistled, "wow, well that's rough. Not exactly the best 'meet the parents' scenario, Hahahaha! am I right?!" you nudged him in the side trying to lighten the mood, which was met with stony silence and a solid glare.

*ahem* you cleared your throat, "So, uh, why are you hung up on her if she's part of the bad guys?"

Leo shifted his weight, and flopped on his belly beside you. Folding his arms underneath his chin, he sighed.

You laughed inwardly.  _I feel like I'm at a girls sleepover and we're exchanging stories about our crushes._

Leo looked down at the sheets and confided, "Idk, I mean, she's helped us several times when we were in a real pinch, and she doesn't even share the same goals or philosophies as her dad...Like, I know when it comes down to it, she's got my back." He added quickly under his breath, "For the most part anyways."

"Does she know how you feel about her?" You tilted your head. 

"No... I-I mean!" Leo quickly tried to correct himself, "I don't feel anything for her... we're just acquaintances and stuff." He sputtered.

Cocking an eyebrow, you gave him a knowing look, "uh huh."

Leo knew he had been caught, "Look I just.. I just want her to know that it doesn't always have to be about revenge or fighting or getting your way by taking others down. I want her to make the right decisions, so she can have a better life, ya know? As for me, I mean, I get that I'm..." he gestured towards his body, "different...so... if that life doesn't involve me then, that's ok too. As long as she's happy and safe."

You knew what he was saying wasn't an act, he truly just wanted her happiness but...

"That's such a cop out."

"What?" He blinked at you.

"Sorry, I mean, you just sound like you've already given up on the possibility that it might ever work out between you two. Have you even tried asking her out?"

Leo shook his head.

You sighed. "I'd say you're probably not giving her enough credit. It's not all about outward appearances ya know. And even if it was..." you scratched your cheek nervously, "I mean, you're actually pretty good looking to be honest."

_Omg what am I saying?!?_ Your head spun with what you've just confessed.

Leo looked at you in surprise. He blushed slightly at your words.

"I-I mean!! W-what I'm trying to say is you've got a lot more going for you than I think you give yourself credit for ya know?" You blushed trying to backpedal your statement, "Irregardless..."

"Regardless" Leo corrected you.

You grinned at him cheekily, "irregardless of that, you won't know till you at least try."

Leo smiled at you, and your treacherous heart flipped. "I see what you're saying. And, thank you. For the encouragement I mean." Leo paused for a minute, and another awkward silence hung in the air.

"You really think I'm good looking?"

"Seriously?! That whole conversation and that's what you focus on?!" You look at him sarcastically.

He laughs at you, "well I don't exactly get out much, so you're the first person to tell me that"

"Yeah yeah, don't let it get to your head" smiling, you shoved him playfully.

He ruffled your hair, "I won't. Are you always this candid with people?"

You looked away from him, "not really. I guess you're just easy to talk to."

Leo cocked his head, "Hmm. Maybe it's because I'm a turtle?"

Glancing at him sideways you gave him a half smile, "Yeah... maybe."

You stretched and yawned, "Tell ya what, you help me with my ankle and I'll teach you the ropes on wooing your lady-friend. How's that sound?"

Leo flinched, "you'd really help me?!"

"Yeah! Why not? You're stuck with me for a while anyways, and you can think of it as my way of repaying you for saving my life." You stuck out your hand, "Well? Do we have a deal?" Leo mulls it over, there really was no downside to this that he could see. After thinking about it, he nods and shakes your hand. "Yeah! We got a deal!"

"Awesome! Tomorrow your training begins!"

You felt the bed creak softly as Leo leaned towards you. His face hovered in front of yours. You could feel your neck heating up as you stared into those stormy blue eyes of his.

Dang they’re blue! you’d never seen eyes as deep as his.

He grinned, "Good, but your training begins tonight." Poking a finger right between your eyes, he pushed you back into the pillows, "lesson one: get lots of rest so your body can recover"

Rolling your eyes you groaned, "Ugh, you're not gonna be one of those nagging teachers are you? Just being upfront, I'm probably going to be one of your problem students if that's the case."

Leo chuckles at you, "There's lots of time tomorrow for you to cause trouble." 

Murmuring goodnight, he gets up and walks over to a hammock you somehow missed in the corner.

Oddly, you found yourself already missing his presence.


	6. Chapter 6

-The next morning-

Looking around sleepily, you noticed Leo's absence, and in his place, a pair of crutches.

Sitting up you sighed, still slightly dazed that this all was actually real. Running your fingers through your matted and messy hair, you grabbed your crutches and hauled yourself out of bed.

You heard the distinct sound of metal clanging from the dojo. Curious, you made your way closer and saw Donnie and Mikey off to the side watching something.

Mikey noticed you first and eagerly waved you over to sit beside him. Nestling yourself between the two, you looked up to see Raphael and Leo locking weapons.

One brother charged with mindless brute strength, while the other manipulated the floor space with deadly precision.

Raph was sweating profusely, grunting under the strain of avoiding Leo's swords. The twin blades sliced through the air with ease. Like cobras, they struck relentlessly at their prey. Each blade simultaneously working together, looking for one slip of the foot, one mistake to take their enemy down.

This target though, would not be cornered so easily.

Finding a small gap in Leo's defense, Raph shifted his body weight and nailed a powerful uppercut directly on Leo's chin. The impact sent him reeling backwards. Leo steadied himself, spitting out the blood that had pooled in his mouth.

Raph smirked, and Leo grinned back at him, wiping the blood off his lips. "Not bad."

Suddenly, in one swift motion, almost too quick for you to see, Leo moved and raphs body was splayed out on the floor. Straddling him, Leo pressed his blade against the apple of his brothers throat. "But still not good enough."

"A-amazing!" You stammered.

Realizing your presence for the first time, both turtles flinched and sheepishly parted from one another.

You were in awe. Watching the brothers was like seeing two different dancing styles collide together in an epic battle. Raph's fighting was like hip hop; straightforward and unapologetic. While Leo's was more structured and purposeful, like ballet.

You looked at them eagerly, "that was so cool! would you guys consider teaching me a few things?! I mean, once my ankle heals and all."

Raph scoffed, "I don't have time to babysit ya kid. You'll just get hurt if you train with me."

You hadn't expected to get shot down so quickly. Leo gave you an apologetic smile and placed his hand on your shoulder. "I hate to say this, but Raph's right. We don't do this for fun. We do it because we have to in order to protect the city. There's a lot of hard work that goes behind it. You have to build up your stamina, and that takes time."

You could tell by the set in their jaws that their minds were made up, and there'd be no convincing them otherwise. You were, however, probably equally as stubborn, with an unparalleled tenacity in getting your way.

"Why do you want to learn though?" Leo inquired.

You thought about it for a second. This was Leo you were dealing with. He seemed reasonable enough. Maybe if you used some logic he'd reconsider.

"Well, you guys said that I might be in danger now that, (whatever those guys are called)... the toes?... know that I'm friends with you. So, personal protection would be kinda nice to know."

"We can protect you." Raph moved in front of Leo. A towering wall of intimidation.

You held your ground. "Oh Yeah? And what happens when you aren't there?"

"We will be" he countered hotly.

You rolled your eyes. "That's not a plan. That's just your ego."

Looking past Raph's hulking figure you pleaded with Leo. "I should have at least the basics. Or SOME defensive training to hold them off till you guys get there." 

You could see the wheels turning in Leo's head. You grinned inwardly.

_Gotcha_ .

Leo concurred, "She's kinda got a point. We did put her in this position. We should take responsibility and at least show her some defensive moves." He looks at you. "But AFTER you've healed."

"Yessss!!!! I mean....Whatever you say leader!" you tried (and obviously failed) to contain your excitement.

He cocked an eyebrow, "why do I feel like I've just been had?"

You froze, laughing nervously, "T-Totally your imagination!" It wasn't quite what you had wanted, but it was a start, and before he could ask any more questions, you swiveled around towards Mikey, "who's hungry for breakfast?!"

"Girl I got the works for you! Do you want pizza omelette, pizza toast, bacon and pizza, or pizza deluxe?"

You tilted your head, "What's the pizza deluxe?"

"All those options together!" He grinned at you like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

Your stomach growled fearfully,  _ugh, so much grease this early in the morning. Is pizza really all they eat?!_

"Stop it Mikey, you're gonna make her sick." Donnie barged in. "The human body is a complex system that requires a more balanced diet than ours." He looks at you, "if you'll wait a minute, I'll make you some pancakes."

Your eyes got big, "pancaaaakes!!! Yes!!" How long had it been since you last had those fluffy discs of joy?!

Donnie gave you a big goofy grin, pleased his suggestion made you so happy.

Raph leaned over to Leo and whispered, "Donnie can make pancakes?"

Leo looked back at him and shrugged, "until now, I didn't even know Donnie could cook!"

—- 30min later —-

The kitchen looked like one of Donnie's experiments had gone completely haywire. Flour was everywhere, and the eggs and batter had oozed onto the floor.

You were trying your best to stifle your laughter. Donnie was a living tornado in the kitchen, and clearly had never made pancakes before.

"Let's see, and then this goes into... GAH!!!! What's on fire????" Smoke billowed from a forgotten pancake in the skillet and infiltrated the rest of the kitchen, causing you and the brothers to cough violently.

You gasped for air,  _ok, the comedy show has gone on long enough_ .

Grabbing your crutches you made your way over to Donnie where he was slopping more batter across the kitchen counter.

"Here, let me."

Balancing on your good leg you swapped Donnie your crutches for his spatula. Removing the gunk that was burning in the pan, you tasted the current batter, adjusting the ingredients as you saw fit. Satisfied with your concoction, you poured five perfectly circular pancakes into the skillet, their bodies puffing beautifully as the heat cooked each side to a golden brown. You flipped each pancake onto a separate plate for the guys.

Resting your hand on top of Donnie's you smiled up at him, "Go ahead and sit down D, I got this." He blushed at your touch, embarrassed at his obvious display in lack of culinary skills. He figured the least he could do was shuttle the pancakes between you and the table.

After about 20 minutes you had an impressive tower of golden steaming hot pancakes. The turtles looked at each other hesitantly, but hunger won out as they all took a tentative bite at the same time, chewing and letting the flavor settle over their pallets.

You tried watching them conspicuously from the corner of your eye as you cut into your own pancake. Your fears quickly put to rest as four huge grins swept across their faces, apprehension now replaced with complete and utter satisfaction.

Mikey was floored that he would even like something other than pizza.

"You're like, a kitchen magician!!" Mikey's eyes sparkled with admiration.

You laughed at him, "They're just pancakes you goof! I do love to cook though!"

Raph sandwiched another big bite of pancake into his mouth and muffled, "if you cook wike thith all th time, I'll teath ya whathever ya want!"

You cast him a sly sideways smile, "You'll teach me whatever I want eh? I'll hold you to that."

Leo shot him a glance, and Raph coughed a little, realizing what he'd just promised you.

The guys finished up their meal, appreciatively licking up the last dregs of thick syrup that had pooled on their plates.

Thanking you, Raph and Mikey left for their patrol, leaving Donnie to clean up the kitchen. Leo rose from his seat, "I'm heading over to the dojo to meditate. Would you like to join?"

"Meditate?" You cocked your head.

"Yeah, it helps your focus on things."

You shrugged, it wouldn't hurt to try. It's not like you had anything better to do anyways. You nodded and Leo pulled you into his arms to carry you.

"I have crutches! You don't have to keep carrying me ya know!" You could feel your face heating up as you squirmed awkwardly.

He didn't really understand why, but he found himself loving the way your cheeks turned slightly red whenever he held you like this. Maybe you were just shy, or you didn't like depending on others?

He mulled over how he should respond, Master Splinter always says that honesty is the best policy, right?

He grinned innocently, "I know but, I kinda enjoy carrying you!"

"Huh?!" You stopped squirming briefly, surprised at his response.

"Your face turns this really cute shade of red!" He gently poked your soft cheeks with his oversized finger to make his point.

Your eyes went wide with disbelief, morphing quickly into a scowl. Smashing your hand into his face you yelled, "It does not!! P-p-put me down!!"

Leo shook your hand off and laughed, "What?! it's not a bad thing!!"

Chuckling, he began walking towards the dojo. You were still pouting when you noticed something shiny near his mouth. You tried to stifle your giggle, "Leo, you have syrup on your face."

"What?!" He frantically began wiping, but missed the mark each time, "Where?! Did I get it?!"

Laughing, you wrapped your arm around his neck and pulled yourself closer to him.

Leo briefly held his breath, unsure of how to react.

Taking your pointer finger, you swiped the sticky sweet substance off of his cheek. "Got it!" You grinned showing him the offending substance.

You'd intended to just lick it off yourself, but Leo beat you to it. His lips encased your finger and his tongue swirled gently around your tip, diligently licking off the syrup.

Your face flushed at the feeling of his rough tongue running over your skin. "Um!" You choked trying to calm your rapid heart beat.

Leo looked at you confused, your finger still tucked between his lips as he mumbled, "Was I not supposed to?"

You shook your head frantically, "N-no it's fine! You just surprised me is all!" You tried to play it off like it was totally normal.

_At this rate I'm going to have a heart attack!_ You sighed pulling your still slightly wet finger to your chest.

Your eyes drifted back to his lips as he licked them, causing you to blush. Leo chuckled, "You sure get embarrassed easily!"

You placed your hands on your burning cheeks, "Shut up! That's just the way my face is!"

You glanced up at him. He was smiling down at you with the same tenderness you would expect to see from an older brother.

He seemed like such a pure guy. Obviously he didn't have any ulterior motives when he put your finger in his mouth. For you though, there were a million unspeakable things that ran through your mind as he slipped his tongue along your skin.

You sighed,  _Ugh, that just makes me the perverted one doesn't it?_


	7. Chapter 7

The dojo was quiet. Too quiet. 

You sighed. How long did meditation take anyways? It felt like it had been hours. You kept shifting in your seat, unwittingly distracting Leo from his meditation. 

He looked over at you, "having a hard time concentrating?" 

You flopped on your back , groaning in frustration, "ugh!! It's impossible! I'm not feeling any more focused!" 

In truth, your lack of concentration may have had something to do with the replaying of a certain  someone licking your finger. Not that you could tell him that. 

”I see.” Leo nodded as if he understood, "It's because your mind is distracted." 

_Yeah, well, whose fault is that?_ You grumbled inwardly. 

You watched as he pondered on the floor next to you. Suddenly his eyes lit up, "Hey , I know! C'mere, sit on my lap." 

"W-What?! Absolutely not!" You immediately refused. If your heart could barely handle being touched by him, then there was no way you'd make it out alive sitting on his lap. 

He grinned at you teasingly, "What? Afraid you'll turn red in my arms again?" He reached out and poked your cheeks playfully. 

You could feel your skin catching fire again. 

"No!! And stop doing that!!!" You batted his finger away, huffing with indignation—and possibly a twinge of embarrassment. Before you dug a deeper hole for yourself, you reached for your crutches, "I'm going to see what Donnie is up to." 

Leo laughed and caught your arm, "Wait, Wait! Don't go,  I'm sorry, hahaha!" A genuine smile spread across his handsome features as he kept laughing at your reddened state. 

It was hard to stay mad at him when he looked like that.  Dangit! Why are you so pretty? You relaxed and jokingly glared back at him. "You don't sound very repentant." 

He grinned at you cheekily, "I am!" 

Your brow arched in feigned disbelief, ”Oh really?” you turned your head,  making a big show of grabbing for your crutches again , ”Hmph, well, I don't believe you.” 

There was a low chuckle, and before you could even register what was happening, Leo plopped himself behind you and pulled you onto his lap. 

His large muscular arms wrapped around your waist, hugging you closer to those glorious, rippling pectorals of his. 

"Ok, you're right, I'm only half sorry , " he grinned as he murmured slyly into your ear. 

You trembled slightly at the feel of his breath against your neck. His muscles moved beneath you as he breathed in and out, and the raw power that emanated from him was almost too much. 

Leo's fingers gently skimmed across the nape of your neck, brushing your hair to one side that caused a ripple  effect of goosebumps to trail down your spine. 

He whispered soothingly beside your cheek, "Now, do you feel it?" 

Your pulse pounded furiously, "F-feel? Feel what?!"  _So help me, if he's talking about his -_

"My heart." 

You stilled.  _His heart?_

_Ugh, of course he meant his heart, you perv._ You clenched your teeth together in silent chastisement. 

Shifting your focus, you felt the distinct rhythmic beat of his heart against your back. 

He pressed a hand to your chest, "Yours is going a million miles a minute. I want you to match mine." 

His other hand slid around your stomach. The movement of his fingers as they trailed across the fabric of your shirt sent a thrill of electricity prickling down your arms.  _Please, for the love of all that is in me, just focus on his breathing and not his statuesque abs against my back._

"Let's start with your breathing. Close your eyes, and take deep , even breaths. Breath e in through your nose and exhale through your mouth." 

Still nervous about your proximity, you closed your eyes and tried to mimic Leo. His hand gently applied pressure to your stomach as he exhaled, silently commanding you to breath e in time with him. 

He was warm, and you willed your body to relax. Soon, your breathing naturally evened out to match his as your mind finally began to settle. That familiar fragrance of lemongrass and green tea wafted to your nostrils; you sighed,  he smelled good.

Leo felt your pulse evening out. He smiled gratefully. Your heart rate had been like a locomotive,  a symptom the leader attribut ed to just first-time jitters.  It was easy to get that way; his own experience similar when first being taught by Master Splinter. It also reminded him of the technique Splinter used on Mikey when  they were  younger ; his brother's youth and playfulness caused his mind to be in a constant state of chaos. 

Not that he thought you were by any means as bad as his younger brother, but for a beginner , this was the easiest way to convey what he meant. 

Thirty minutes went by, and you were as still as a bo a rd. Leo was so impressed at how easily you took to meditation. "(Y/n), you're doing a great jo-" 

"Zzzzzz...." 

Leo blinked, "what th-" He looked down at you and saw a small trickle of drool running from your slightly open mouth. 

_She fell asleep???_

He had to catch himself ; his shoulders began to shake with mirth. "You're kinda hopeless , ya know that?" 

Smiling down at your sleeping form , he shook your shoulder gently. 

"Pst, (Y/n)....(y/n)!" 

Your head fell to the side against his chest as you shifted and nuzzled against him. 

His face blushed slightly. 

_Guess it can't be helped._ He let you sleep in his arms as he continued with his meditation. 

* * *

You blinked sleepily. 

_When did I...?_

You looked up and noticed Leo's face still meditating. 

Feeling you stir, he peeked one eye open and looked down at you. 

Realizing you were snuggled up against him, your eyes shot open as you flew out of his lap, clambering away on your hands and knees. 

“I'm so sorry!!! I didn't realize I'd fallen asleep!!" 

Leo's lips twisted into a mocking grin, "You took your meditation a little too seriously!" His eyes suddenly widened as he stifled a laugh, "Oh, uh...You kinda have... a little.." he motioned towards the corner of your mouth. 

You put your hand up to where Leo was pointing and felt the crusty remains of your drool. 

"Ack!!" You hastily tried to wipe it off, "D-Don't look!!" 

You sighed,  _well there goes any chance I had of making a good impression on him._

He grinned , watching you try to wipe away the evidence of your slumber. Your face was still dirty from the warehouse, and your hair was disheveled and matted with the blood from your head wound. 

Leo thought to himself ; _We'll_ _have to bring her to her place eventually so she can get some stuff to stay here._

You'd probably like to take a shower, but with no other clothes for you to change into , he hadn't thought to offer you the chance to wash off. 

He grumbled at his thoughtlessness,  s _hould have asked April to bring some clothes._

He noticed you tenderly rubbing your ankle. "Does it still hurt?" He put his hand on yours, moving it away so he could see your sore limb. It s flesh was purple in some areas, and your joint was notably more swollen than its partner. 

You nodded, "Yeah, I just hope it heals fast so I can get back to practice." 

Leo tilted his head, "Practice?" 

You hadn't planned on telling him you were a dancer, convinced the topic would be mostly uninteresting to someone who fought crime , and played ninja hero most nights. Well, guess he would have found out sooner or later. You couldn't very well stay down here for an extended period without practicing for the upcoming semester. 

You looked at him shyly and shrugged, "I um, actually go to school at the Dance Academy here in New York." 

"The Dance Academy?" He quirked an eye ridge, "What kind of dance are you studying?" 

The question caught you off guard, thinking he wouldn’t enquire further . "We study all kinds of dance, but my focus is on ballet." 

"That's interesting. Ballet takes a lot of discipline as I understand it. What made you choose that?" You looked into his eyes, shocked to see that he appeared to be sincerely interested. 

As if it was the green light to let the floodgates open, your inner dance geek began to well up from deep within you.  "Ah jeez, I mean, where do I start? There's nothing quite like the thrill of being up on stage performing in front of people. We get to live in a world that seems..." you paused, smiling halfheartedly to yourself, "... that seems so far away from this one." 

Leo tilted his head slightly, taking in the odd expression your face was making. "Y/n?" 

You shook your head, "W-what I mean is, we get to live in a magical world that a lot of people only get to  experience in their dream s . We do things that the audience sees as effortless when , in reality , it's incredibly complex and dangerous." 

"Dangerous?" A flash of concern passed over Leo's handsome face. 

You grinned, "Well, nothing as dangerous as fighting crime  as you guys do." 

He chuckled shyly. 

You thought for a second, "Ballet is beautiful and expressive, secretive and yet revealing. It brings out the good and bad in you, it exposes your weaknesses like a pimple." 

"What kind of weakness did it expose in you?" 

"I have no weaknesses." You stated flatly and with a straight face. 

Leo looked at you, a smirk tugging at the edge of his mouth  as he raised his hands, fingers wiggling threateningly. ”Oh? I remember something much different from last night. Care for a demonstration?” 

You put a hand out in front of you in defense, ”Hey!! Off-limits, buddy!!!” 

The  two of you unravel ed into  peals of  laughter. You grinned up at him, "Actually , and don't make fun of me, but I get  extremely nauseous before going on stage." 

He  looked at you in surprise , "Really!? But you still enjoy doing it?" 

Chu ckling , you realized it probably did sound a little weird. "I do! It's just ; everything fades once you step onto that stage. It's like, nothing around you matters anymore, and you're able to get lost in the music and the story you're telling. I mean, as dancers , we have to convey what's going on with our bodies instead of our words, so everything becomes much more expressive and passionate." 

_OMG, I'm starting to ramble! Wrap it up girl; the poor guy is probably bored stiff._ Y our face burned  in  slight embarrassment  at your mini tangent as you pulled nervously at a lock of your hair . "Um, a-anyways, one of these days , I'm going to be a professional dancer and travel all over the world, dancing for millions of people." 

You beamed brightly at him, "Dancing just makes me feel.... so alive! Know what I mean?" 

Leo was momentarily taken aback by the way your face lit up when talking about dancing, and his heart began to stir for this cute bundle of joy that sat  happily  in front of him. 

His silence unnerved you.  _Did I say too much?_ "Maybe I went a little overboard..." 

"NO! No, not at all! Sorry , I..." He smiled at you tenderly, "I actually love hearing you talk about what you enjoy. I think it's great that you're so passionate about what you're studying. Better that than going through life without something to strive for at all." 

You smiled at him, grateful he didn't make fun of your mini geek out session. 

Taking your hand in his, he said, "maybe once your ankle heals , you'll show me some of your moves?" 

Your chest constricted , and you had to remind yourself to breathe. Honestly, you couldn't believe he was actually interested in what you did. Well, if he wasn't, then points to him for being an amazing actor. You nodded your head dumbly at him, "I would love to." 

Leo felt a tinge of guilt for divulging his petty insecurities and problems about Karai to you last night, given the grand scheme of your life. 

He scratched the back of his neck as he looked at you bashfully, "Look, don't worry about my weird relationship stuff with Karai. It's more important that we focus on getting you better so you can start dancing again." 

You looked at Leo in surprise ; he really was a selfless person.  Retaking both of his hands in yours you smiled up at him, drinking in the depth of his ocean blues, "I appreciate it, but I'm still willing to listen and give advice if you need someone to talk to about your girl problems n' stuff." 

He smiled, "I appreciate it, and same here. If you need to talk to someone, that is. Though you probably go to your family more for that kinda thing." 

Your expression darkened , and he suddenly realized he hit a sensitive subject. 

You looked down and mumbled, "Yeah, I guess." 

Leo's eyes softened, "Do... you not get along with them?" 

Why is this all coming out now?! You weren't quite ready to start going too deep with this kid. You'd just met him for crying out loud. 

You sighed, "We just don't agree on a lot of stuff. I... I don't really want to talk about it." You tugged your hands away from him. 

Leo immediately missed your warmth. 

You looked down and idly pulled at a loose string on your shirt, "It-It's kinda funny, they've never even once attended one of my performances. Not once." You shrugged, trying to distance yourself from the pain . "Whatever, it's not like it matters." it was too late though, your voice cracked as you tried to swallow the lump of frustration that had formed in your throat. Your chest tightened as you fought back the sting of tears that threatened to spill from your eyes. You didn't care. It didn't matter. You made your choice, and they made theirs. You just had to keep moving on. 

You flinched as Leo cupped your face in his hand, brushing away the small droplets that started to trickle down your cheek. You tried to turn away , but he gently pulled you back to meet his gaze. Resting his temple against yours , he whispered reassuringly, "sssh, it's ok. It's ok. I'm sorry, I shouldn't have pried." 

His lips were mere inches from yours, the air from his mouth softly falling against the  fresh streams of tears still running down your skin. 

"Y/n, I know we're not your actual family, but... I t would be  an  honor if you considered us something close to it. You're always more than welcome here, and...." he held your gaze softly, "we can't be there in the seats, but if there's a way to see your performances from the rafters, I promise we'll come to watch you. Well, I will anyways, ballet may not be Raphs cup of tea." 

You hiccuped a tearful laugh at the thought of  Leo forcing  Raph to watch a ballet performance. The  constant whining about how torturous it was would likely continue for days. 

Leo smiled, encouraged to see you cheering up again. 

"Thanks , Leo." You leaned up hastily and placed a quick kiss on his cheek. 

His breath caught at the soft sensation that had been briefly pressed against him . Blushing, he placed a hand over the now slightly damp area.

You hoped he didn't think you were being too forward. It was just to show your appreciation, nothing wrong with that, right? 

You shyly glanced up at him, gauging his reaction, when suddenly, he pulled you into a tight embrace. 

Maybe it was his natural proclivity, being an older brother and all, but  at that moment , Leo decided he would be your fortress, the barrier that shielded you from the world and all the bad things in it. 

As he clung to you, he felt your body shudder against him. Thinking he may have frightened you with his sudden embrace, he pulled away slightly, allowing himself to be content with resting his forehead against yours, careful not to hit your gash. 

Dropping his hands, he intertwined his fingers within yours, his mind racing to find the words he wanted to say that would  encourage you. No. Not just  encourage , but express that he thought you were an amazing person, that he believed you could do and accomplish anything if you put your mind to, that if you needed family, he would gladly step into that role if it meant keeping that smile on your face. 

"(Y/n), listen , I..." 

Suddenly, Mikey and Raph barged into the dojo, having come back from patrol. 

The spel l broke ,  and both you and Leo fumbled back from each  other . 

Mikey gasped as he noticed your hands linked in Leo's. "What's going on here?! I thought it was me you wanted babycakes!! We had a connection!" 

Leo quickly stood and dropped your hands, blushing madly. He grumbled to himself,  What rotten timing , just as I was getting to know her.  "Did you guys need something?" 

"Your turn for patrol , bro!" Mikey ran over and wrapped his arms around your shoulders, his cheek rubbing affectionat ely against yours, "And it's MY turn to take care of my sweet angel face here!" 

Before he knew what he was doing, Leo latched onto Mikey's pressure point at the back of his neck. 

Mikey immediately released his arms from around you, "owe owe owe OWE!!! Heyyy , what gives bro?! You have exclusive rights to touching her now?!" 

The leader shot back, "For your information, I was teaching her how to meditate. At least my intentions are pure, unlike someones." He eyed him pointedly. 

Mikey crossed his arms and pouted, "Yeah , well, didn't look so pure a few moments ago." 

"What was that?" Leo scowled. 

Quickly Mikey straightened up, "I mean, I forgot to tell you that Splinter says to take Donnie with you." 

Giving him one last glare, Leo stalked off towards Donnie's lab. He cast a glance back towards Raph, "Keep an eye on him while I'm gone." 

When he saw Leo was out of earshot, Mikey mimicked, "kEep an EYe on hIm whiLe I'm gOnE. Psh! Whatever!" 

You giggled. 

Raph shot you a look, "Moving kinda fast with our leader , aren't ya , sis?" 

You waved your hands furiously back and forth, "N-No, you've got it all wrong! Trust me ; I'm not even on the radar with Karai in the picture. He seems to really like her. I think I'm more in the 'little sister' category." 

Raph looked at you dubiously, "uh -huh . Well, not that it's any of my business, but you're right. Karai is all he sees. Don't get too hung up on him , or you'll get hurt." 

Your eyes widened , and you smiled , realizing something, "Thanks Raph, for being concerned about me." 

He sputtered, "I'm-I'm  NOT concerned about you! I just don't need you mopping around here when you get your feelings all butt hurt." His face turned the same color as his mask. "Whatever, I'm gonna go workout." And with that , he stomped off. 

Mikey came alongside you, "Don't worry about him ; he's grumpy with everyone." 

You laughed, "Meh, I know! He seems like  a  pretty caring guy under all that gruff talk." 

Mikey looked at you in shock. It wasn't often that people got Raph right off the bat. "Yeah, he's probably the most sensitive one out of all of us. Don't tell him I said that , though." 

You winked at him, "Of course not! Hey , I  do have a favor to ask of you if you're free?" 

Mikey beamed, "Anything for you , little lady!"


	8. Chapter 8

The night was cool, but you didn't have time to think about that as you practically flew through the air, the city flashing below you in a dizzying blur.

Mikey leapt from rooftop to rooftop with the ease that a monkey swings from tree to tree. Unlike his carefree attitude though, you had a death grip around his neck as you clung for dear life on his back.

 _Please don't drop me, please don't drop me, please don't drop me!_ You chanted like a mantra in your head.

Mikey hacked, "You're gonna hafta ease up a bit on your grip babycakes, I'm losing air here!"

"Sorry!!" You eased your chokehold on him ever so slightly. "Oh, that's it over there!" You pointed to a tall brick building that was heavily covered in ivy. "I'm on the top floor!"

Mikey landed on the buildings rickety metallic fire escape, posing theatrically like a superhero come to save a damsel in distress. You crawled off his back shakily, legs wobbling like two sticks of jelly. The wind rustled through your hair, allowing you a moment to compose yourself before opening a window and ushering the energetic turtle inside.

"Welcome to mi casa!"

Mikey's eyes were as big as saucers. "whooaaahhh!! This is my first time in an apartment! So this is what it's like huh?!" He looked around the room appreciatively.

You smiled, "well, it's actually a dorm room. Apartments are way nicer than this, but my classmates and I live here while we go to school."

He wasn't listening, as was apparent by the way Mikey's eyes flicked back and forth around the room excitedly. It was like watching a kid in a candy store. He spotted your massive collection of movies and started rummaging through them. "Whoah you have so many good movies too!"

"Oh! Take a stack! We can watch them when we get back to your place."

His eyes lit up, "Seriously?! Sweet!!! We need this one, this one, oh man definitely this one. This is a must - " You smiled watching him stack what you already knew would be too many for him to carry back.

Something pungent hit your nostrils. _Ugh. What is that smell?_

You sniffed your clothes.

 _Yep. That'd be me. Nasty, how long have I smelled like this?! Could Leo smell me when we were meditating?!?_ You shuddered at the thought.

"Mikey, I'm just going to take a shower real quick!"

Settling into the couch, he looked back at you, "sure thing! You know, you can always use the showers at our place too."

"You guys have showers?? As in, more than one?!" This was news to you.

"Of course we have showers! We aren't animals."

You gave him a look. He smiled and scratched his head, "Well, not traditional animals anyways."

You sighed with relief. You'd hate to have one of the guys bring you back here every time you wanted to bathe.

* * *

The shower felt amazing. You watched as the grime and old dried blood washed down your body and swirl away into the drain. This was definitely a two scrub day, there was no way one rinse was going to get all this gunk off. You figured while you were at it you might as well give yourself a quick shave.

You mumbled to yourself, "Guys will never appreciate the maintenance we girls go through to look good." Finishing, you ran your hands appreciatively up your newly smooth legs.

You didn't want to get out. The water trickled down your skin, and you soaked up the remaining warmth until your good leg began to ache from balancing on it too long.

Wiping off all the excess water, you slipped into your new clothes and towel dried your hair. You wore a relaxed shirt, it's v-neck plunging enough to show a hint of cleavage without being too scandalous, and a pair of your favorite slightly ripped jeans. Casual, comfortable and cool. The only acceptable style, as far as you were concerned.

You hobbled back into the living room to see Mikey immersed in some alien movie. "Is it a good movie so far?" You came around and plopped beside him.

Still looking at the screen he nodded vigorously, "This guy is crazy! Who takes on an army of aliens by them-" turning to you, Mikey's face froze. "Whoah..."

You put your hands to your cheeks, was there something on you?! Did your face look weird?! Guess it wouldn't have hurt to put a light dusting of makeup on, but you figured it didn't really matter since you'd just be hanging with the brothers. It's not like you were trying to impress anyone.

You hesitantly asked, "What?! What's wrong?!"

Mikey shook his head, "Nothing it's just... you're... you're really pretty babycakes!" He blushed slightly and stammered, "N-not that you weren't pretty before! You can rock the blood and grime look too." He grinned shyly, "But I think this look suits you a little more."

You blushed, embarrassed at his own embarrassment, "Oh! Well, t-thank you. I think?" Tucking a wet stray lock of hair behind your ear, you fidgeted in your seat beneath his gaze.

Mikey's eyes traced the path your finger made as it ran through your hair, the slight perfumed scent that came with the gesture tugged gently at his nostrils, and he found himself leaning into the enchanting fragrance. He inhaled a larger breath of air close to your ear as he murmured softly, "You smell really good y/n-" he turned slightly to give you the compliment, unprepared for you to turn at the same time.

Your lips brushed against each other ever so slightly, and the two of you jumped back from each other, cheeks rosy with shocked embarrassment.

Mikey blustered, his hands waving in front of himself pleadingly as he looked at you with concern, "Oh my gosh! Oh... Oh my gosh! Y/n! I'm so sorry! That was... that was WAY creepy of me, I shouldn't have been that close!" He held his head in his hands, mortified at what he'd unintentionally done.

You sputtered, also waving your hands dramatically in front of you, "N-no it was my fault, i shouldn't have turned! I just... I didn't know that-" you trailed off, unsure how to end your sentence.

The two of you sat there awkwardly, Mikey scratching the back of his neck sheepishly, while you pulled at the loose thread hanging at the edge of your shirt.

You cleared your throat, hoping to break the silence. "Um, s-so... are you into video games?"

Mikey jumped at the change of subject as he gave you a cheeky grin, "Does a turtle like pop music!?"

You looked at him unsure. You never thought to strike up a conversation with any of the turtles at the local pet shop to ask if indeed pop music was a favorite of the terrapin species.

Your lack of knowledge didn't matter, as Mikey was quick to answer his own question, "Hells yeah, girl! What you got!?"

You breathed a sigh of relief that the topic seemed to regain some normalcy between the two of you. Kneeling down, you rummaged through your options until you landed on one of your faves: Mass Effect.

Starting a new game, you walked Mikey through the creation of his character profile and setting up his team. As he played you noticed he quickly skipped through the storylines, "ugh, what is with guys not reading the story?!" You groaned. It was like, half the fun for you to read the characters relationships to one another.

Mikey rolled his eyes, "That's such a girl thing. For me it's just garble. Like I care what this guy has to say to me."

You rolled around on the couch in dramatic frustration, "But the decisions you make matteeerrrrrr!!! At least further into the game! That's why you have to decide whether you're going to be a nice person and do paragon decisions, or be a rude uncaring person and do renegade!"

He perked up, "wait so it actually does matter?! What happens further on?!"

You started to explain how decisions affected outcomes in the end, when you glanced up at the clock. "OMG! Mikey!!! We've been at this for 5 hours!! We gotta go!"

He whined, "aawwweee But I was getting so good!" You laughed at him, "We can always come back later."

His eyes shone, "really? It's ok if I come back?!"

You looked at him confused, "of course you can! Why wouldn't you?"

He fidgeted in his seat, "I mean, I didn't know if I made you uncomfortable with... ya know..."

You fidgeted, trying to suppress the feeling of your lips grazing against his. _Come on y/n, it's not like it was even a full kiss!_ You smiled, trying to put his mind at ease, "Really, don't worry about it. It was just an accident." 

He still didn't seem comfortable.

"Mikey, really, it's fine! I'm not upset, I promise!" You patted him on the shoulder.

He looked down at his controller, fiddling with the buttons before looking back up at you again, his eyes pleading, "Could... could you maybe not mention it to Leo? He'd probably skin me alive."

You couldn't help giggle a little, there was no way you'd ever tell Leo. It was just as embarrassing for you as it was for him. Also, with his protective big brother attitude, Mikey was probably right, Leo _would_ skin him alive.

"Yeah, I promise I won't say anything. And by the way, your character is getting torn to shreds." You nodded towards the tv.

Mikey whipped around, "GAH! Where did all these guys come from?!" Smiling you left him to his game.

You grabbed a backpack and began filling it with extra clothes and toiletries. You were halfway done shoving some food into your bag, when somewhere in the distance you heard a faint buzzing. Realizing it was coming from Mikey, you limped over to see a turtle shaped cell phone lit up at his side. You looked at the name of the caller. _Well speak of the devil._

Mikey was too busy fighting off some battle master, so you grabbed it and answered, "Hey Leo!"

Mikey froze. _Crap!!!_

Panicking he tried to grab the phone from you, "Gimmie that!!" but you dodged him, making him flip over the armrest onto the floor.

There was silence on the other end.

"(y/n)?" Leo's voice came out strained.

"Yeah it's me!" You answered cheerfully.

Again, silence.

You weren't sure if you lost connection, "Hello? Leo? You still there?"

Suddenly, like a roll of thunder, Leo's voice roared, "Where the HELL are you and Mikey????" You jumped, the phone fumbling in your hands as you fought to regain control of it.

You were so shocked at his rage that you tripped over your words "W-Well, I -"

Leo was spitting fire, "NO! I don't even want to hear it. The both of you get back here RIGHT NOW!"

The phone went dead.

You stood there stunned. Looking at the phone, you saw there were 15 missed calls from him and a couple more from both Raph and Donnie.

_Oh, we are in such big trouble._


	9. Chapter 9

Mikey whimpered as you both made haste back towards home, "ohhh Leo is going to kill meeee!"

You weren't sure what all the fuss was about and you tried to reassure him, "I'm sure it'll be fine. Leo seems like a pretty reasonable gu-"

"Reasonable?! How are we going to explain not bringing Raph with us in case we ran into the Foot?"

You paused, "W-well... he was busy working ou-"

"And, more importantly, how are we going to explain not TELLING Raph where we were going?"

You couldn't see his face, but you could feel Mikey's panic increasing, and you were beginning to understand why. He was right, it probably would have helped your case if you guys had left even a note or something saying where you were going.

Mikey whined, "Awe man! Leo's never going to let me babysit you again when he's out!"

You conceded, "Ok, ok. I guess I understand why he'd be kinda upset, but jeez Mikey, it's not like he told you not to go anywhere alone with me outside the lair."

You could feel him shrink a little bit beneath you, "eh heh...well..."

 _Oh you've got to be kidding me._ "MIKEY!! Don't you 'eh-heh' me!! Why didn't you say something?!?!"

He laughed nervously, "I just got so excited about going to your place that it kinda slipped my mind?"

You groaned. _Uugghhh, again, we are SO dead._

Mikey slipped into the sewers, and the pungent odor of human feces and garbage hit your nostrils like a freight train. Unfortunately not even this onslaught of offensive smells could distract you from the wrath you knew awaited you back at the lair. The closer you got, the more you began thinking of alternative places you guys could escape to until Leo cooled off.

You sighed, _That would just make him even more mad._ Your shoulders sagged, _jeez, only day 2 and i'm already in trouble with the leader._

Mikey slowly opened the door, where a single figure met you in stony silence. Both of you gulped at the same time as you stood in the frame like two teenagers caught sneaking through their bedroom window past curfew.

Was there literal steam coming off of Leo's head?! His blue eyes that this morning you'd loved so much, now looked like liquid pools of fury as he marched towards you, a raging locomotive on a warpath.

And you were the target.

You tried to ball yourself up as tiny as humanly possible behind Mikey's shell.

Mikey instantly backed up, his hands tightening their hold on your legs dangling on either side of him, "Ok! Ok! Let's all just calm down now, there is a perfectly reasonable explanation for all of this!"

Leo paced in front of him, his eyes never leaving his younger brothers.

"Yes, do explain." He hissed through his teeth.

Mikey gulped, he didn't actually have a good explanation, but that didn't mean he wouldn't at least try to wiggle the two of you out of this jam, "O-Ok, so ya know how we were all in the dojo, and you were like....." He began to ramble off his story for why you two had gone out. All the while Leo continued to pace, his body language showing no signs of excusing your actions anytime soon.

"....And then, as we were heading to her place, I was like, oh man, I think Leo said something about not going out alone with her. But we were like, already halfway there so I figured might as well keep going...."

You groaned inwardly, eyeing Leo's face that looked like it was on the verge of exploding as a vein throbbed threateningly on his temple.

"....And then we were playing this super cool video game that you just gotta try bro! There were like, all these aliens, and cool space guns, and you're all boom! zap! pew pew!" He looked at his brother who remained a stony pillar of judgement, despite his attempt to lighten the story. "A-Anyways, I got a little too into it and didn't hear your calls, so that's why I didn't answer. But everything's ok! We didn't run into the Foot, she's totally safe, so no harm done!"

It was like the death nail, and finally Leo snapped.

" _No harm done?!_ You disobeyed a direct order Mikey!! You got lucky this time, but what if you HAD run into the Foot? You needlessly put yourself AND her life in danger." His rage boiled over, "Do you have any idea how worried i was? How worried we _all_ were?! What were you thinking not even telling Raph where you two were headed?! Of all the insensitive, irresponsible -"

You'd lowered yourself down from Mikey's back and limped around from behind him. There was no way you were going to let him take all the heat for this. "Please, don't get angry at him. I'm the one who asked him to take me back to my place, it's my fault."

Leo's razor eyes flicked to you and then back to Mikey, hesitating for a moment before doing a double take. "(Y/n)?" His eyes took you in, registering for the first time your appearance.

You stood tall trying to mask the fear you felt under Leo's scrutiny, "I asked Mikey to take me home so I could get some stuff for my stay here. I didn't tell Raph because I honestly didn't think we were going to be gone for long but, ... I wasn't watching the time and...." You hung your head, knowing it just sounded like more excuses. This wasn't the time to get tongue tied though.

You straightened up and looked Leo straight in eyes, hoping your words conveyed you were coming from a place of real repentance, "I know this doesn't excuse me from not saying anything but, I really am sorry. I didn't think about how going out like that alone might have put us in danger." You bowed your head. "I promise it won't happen again."

Leo stared at you dumbly before shaking his head out of his stupor. He looked at the two of you standing together, a sweet image of two younger siblings trying to protect the other. You with your head bowed, placing yourself between he and Mikey, and Mikey having rushed to defend you two before he even got a chance to say anything.

He felt his rage begin to subside, leaving only room for some parental irritation to chew on.

Turning away he rubbed the back of his neck, "W-well... as long as you understand the magnitude of danger you guys put yourselves in, I guess I can let you off this once." He looked back at you sharply, "just don't do it again."

Leo handed you the crutches you had left in the lair as Mikey breathed a sigh of relief, nudging you cheerfully in the side, " _Eh?! Eh?!_ I really thought we were in for it!"

_Ugh, and then there's that mouth._

Leo pushed him away from you, "Oh you're not off the hook completely. You can spend some time thinking about what you did in the Ha'Shi."

Mikey groaned "Ugghhh seriously??? I freaking hate the Ha'Shi." He stomped off.

"Then next time maybe you'll think harder before you disobey my orders." Leo called out towards the retreating back of his youngest brother.

You tentatively came over to him and tugged at his wristband, "I really am sorry to have worried you so much."

He looked down at you and cleared his throat, "Y-Yeah, well... Sorry for freaking out like that, it's just - When Mikey didn't answer, I assumed the worst."

Stepping closer to you, he cupped your face in his hand. His thumb gently rubbed back and forth against your cheek. "It's my job to keep you safe, and here at the first possible moment I took my eyes off you, I thought I'd let you get captured. How could I live with myself if that happened?"

You knew he was concerned, but you were beginning to understand now the depth of his fear and why.

Leo chuckled, "I didn't think you would take me so literally last night when I said you had a lot of time to get into trouble today." You grinned up at him, feeling the tenseness in your shoulders subside hearing his humor return.

Sighing, he pulled you against him in a warm embrace. "I'm just glad you're safe." He rested his chin on the top of your head, relief finally allowing him to relax.

"Nothing happened right? Mikey didn't drop you or anything?" He looked you over for scratches.

You hesitated, thinking back to your accidental brushing of his lips. Even if you hadn't made that promise, there's no way you would have told Leo what had happened. He really was kind of like an overprotective brother, or maybe a mother hen would be more accurate? Either way, he'd probably have a heart attack if he found out. For both yours and Mikey's sake, you shook your head vigorously, "nope, nothing happened, everything was fine."

Leo glanced at you, eyes looking into yours as if he were searching your soul. You'd never been really good at lying, and you could feel your skin getting clammy under his scrutiny. He tilted your chin up so you were forced to hold his gaze. A moment of silence hung between the two of you before he spoke, "Are you sure there's nothing you want to tell me?"

"...N-No?"

His voice was silky like the smoothest of chocolate as he repeated your claim, "No?"

You shifted your chin out of his grasp and playfully punched his shoulder letting out a nervous giggle, "What are you, a parrot? Really, nothing happened! It's just like Mikey said, we got caught up in a video game. That's all." It wasn't a total lie. It just wasn't the whole truth.

He looked at you suspiciously but decided not to press the issue.

Reaching out, he trailed his fingers through your hair. It was clean and void of the clumps of blood that had previously matted parts of it together. Now it hung in thick healthy waves. _It's so soft._

"You took a shower?"

Your senses were buzzing at the feel of his fingers gliding through your thick tresses. His hands passed delicately along the base of your neck, sending shivers of pleasure down your spine. A fog had settled pleasantly over your brain, leaving no room for thought.

"(y/n)?"

_Oh. Right, he asked a question didn't he?_

"Huh? Oh, ah...yes. I didn't know you guys had showers down here. I brought some of my shampoo and soap with me though, so I won't have to go back." Regaining your senses, you leveled a glare at him and chided, "I didn't realize how bad I smelled! You coulda said something!"

He laughed, "I hadn't noticed honestly. Probably comes with living in the sewers your whole life." Leaning in, Leo placed his nose in the crook of your neck and inhaled deeply.

You gasped and instinctively placing your hands on his chest. Without thinking about it, you tilted your head to allow him better access to your sensitive flesh. Your heart hammered wildly inside of you, threatening to leap out at any moment.

"But..." He murmured against your skin, "You do smell good." As he spoke, his lips brushed against the nape of your neck, causing goosebumps to dance along your arms.

He felt you gasp slightly at his touch.

Pulling away from you he straightened and cleared his throat. "I uh... I better go tell master splinter you guys arrived home safely."

You nodded shyly, holding the place on your neck where Leo had practically nuzzled his nose. "Y-Yeah."

He turned to leave when suddenly you remembered, "oh! Leo, wait! c'mere!" You beckoned him back over to you. Rummaging through your backpack, you pulled out a package. "Close your eyes."

He cocked his brow, "Why?"

You laughed, "Just do it, you suspicious ninny!"

"...Did you just call me a ninny?!"

You chuckled, "I did, because that's what you're being right now."

He snorted a brief laugh before reluctantly closing his eyes and murmuring teasingly, "So uncalled for."

You waved your hand in front of his face, confirming they were tightly shut, "Good, now open your mouth."

He felt your finger press down lightly on his lower lip, urging it open. You popped something hard and subtly sweet into his mouth that tasted like candied tea. He opened his eyes in shock, "What is this?!"

"It's a matcha candy I got from a friend who lives over in Japan. I wanted to grab some for you since I saw your tea stuff on the table. She said it pairs well with light biscuits, but honestly, I just eat them whenever."

You fidgeted, "Do you like it?"

He wasn't normally one for candy, but these were just the right amount of sweetness. "I really like them! Thank you!"

"Great! Then they're yours!" You handed him the package.

Taking it, he poured another one into the palm of his hand. Reaching towards you, he gently held your chin between his fingers. Nudging it up softly, he brought the candy to your lips, his fingers brushing against your mouth as he pushed it in.

A cute quirk of a smile tugged at his cheeks upon seeing the slight bewildered look on your face, "We can share them."

And with that he turned to go to master splinters room. Your hand went to your mouth as you rolled the bittersweet candy around on your tongue.

Raph's words swirled around in your head. _Don't get too hung up on him or you'll get hurt_.

You gnawed on your lower lip.

_Well.....crap....._


	10. Chapter 10

Later that night you and Leo decided to curl up on the couch and watch a movie together, much to the displeasure and incessant whining of Mikey who declared he wanted to be the first one to watch a movie with you. Unfortunately because of his actions earlier this evening, Master Splinter had him under intense training.

 _Poor Mikey,_ you mumbled. The only reason you probably got away without punishment was because you were a guest. However, you were fairly sure that even for you Leo had a breaking point that would require some form of discipline.

You'd both settled onto the couch, and Leo's arm hung languidly across your shoulders, allowing you to rest comfortably against his side.

Tonights movie of choice was the 1999 version of "The Mummy". You drooled as Brendan Fraser appeared, newly shaven and cleaned up from his previously imprisoned state. A sigh escaped your lips.

Leo glanced at you from the side, "You're into this kind of guy, huh?"

You couldn't even hide your admiration as you purred, "Yes!! His character is super dreamy in this movie!"

He rolled his eyes, "Meh, he's ok, I guess."

You sputtered in disbelief, "He's ok?! Ok?!? More like he's totally perfect!"

Leo felt himself beginning to bristle at your unsolicited praise of this man you didn't even know. He grumbled, "What's so great about him? He's just a bonehead with guns."

Pulling away from his side you folded your arms, "Excuse me, he is _not_ just a bonehead with guns! Look at him! He's gorgeous and manly!"

Leo huffed, "Oh so you're just going after him for his physical appearances huh? How shallow."

Oh no he did _NOT_ just go there.

Your brows knit together in annoyance, "No!! I mean, yes he's pretty, but there are other things that contribute to his attractiveness!"

Leo eyed you teasingly, "Oh yeah? like what? 'He has a great personality'?"

You pushed him playfully, "Like, he's an excellent leader who is tough, but also compassionate underneath that stony exterior. He's also good at getting his team out of sticky situations, is awkward when handling his love interest, and.... and did I mention he was handsome?" You continued to drool.

"Twice." Leo laughed.

You giggled, "I don't know, he just has that whole, 'I'm-going-to-take-care-of-you' rugged charm about him."

It suddenly occurred to you, "Actually Leo, now that I think about it, his character kinda reminds me of you.

"M-Me?!" He sputtered.

"Yeah! You're strong and you listen to others. I can tell your brothers trust you completely just by the way they follow your orders, which means you're probably a good leader." You paused and wiggled your eyebrow at him, "Awkward with your feelings when it comes to Karai." His face took on a slightly red tint.

"You're like, legitimately this character incarnate. Minus the sarcastic attitude. Though the more i get to know you, i feel like you definitely have an underlying sense of sarcasm somewhere in that stoic personality of yours."

He chuckled at that last bit, "Oh, if only you knew the things that ran through my head that have never made it past my lips."

You smiled, able to relate all too well to the sentiment.

In the comfortable silence that followed, Leo contemplated your words. He'd never been praised for his leadership skills before. He'd been doing it for so long it felt like the role was simply expected of him, and that he would do it well. He looked at you, shocked in the short time you'd known each other that you somehow recognized his efforts when no one else did. Or at least never verbalized. Realizing he'd been staring at you longer than what was likely socially acceptable, he bashfully averted his eyes from your curious gaze.

His body tensed ever so slightly as he felt the cool caress of your hand cradle against his cheek, urging him to look back at you.

You studied his face and grinned impishly. Quickly glancing around, you leaned closer to him, whispering like you had a secret for his ears alone, "Now don't go spreading this, but..."

He quirked a brow at you, "But?"

You scoot a little closer, "...you MIGHT have this Brendan character beat in the looks department."

Leo gasped dramatically as if you'd said something completely scandalous, "Impossible! He is the absolute epitome of dreaminess."

You shrugged, hmm-ing and ha-ing jokingly, "If anyone asks, you didn't hear it from me."

The two of you chuckled, and you loved the way his cheeks seemed to crinkle the corners of his eyes. He should smile more, it looked good on him.

He looked back down at you, ready to throw another jab at your comment, only to see you leaning up towards him to place a light, lingering kiss on his forehead. His breath hitched and his heart began thumping rapidly at the unexpected gesture.

Smiling, you inwardly giggled at his obvious nervousness.

_Jeeze, and we're just friends, he must be a hot mess around this "Karai" girl if he falls apart this easily with me._

You could feel Leo's hands hovering awkwardly over you, clenching and unclenching as if unsure where he should place them on you, if at all.

His hands had just barely begun to rest upon your hips when a cool breeze whistled through the lair, causing you to pull back from him. You shivered, rubbing your hands up and down your arms, hoping the friction would provide a spark of warmth.

Knocked out of his daze, Leo felt you tremble, "Are you cold?"

Curling yourself up slightly you nodded, "Just a little."

Nodding, he stood and moved to the far end of the couch. Leaning back against the armrest, he motioned for you, "C'mere." He spread his legs apart and beckoned for you to come closer. Your face flushed, but you climbed across the couch anyways and positioned yourself between them, unsure of what he wanted.

He noticed the blush creeping up your cheeks, and his face suddenly felt like it was on fire as well. You looked like a couple of tomatoes sitting awkwardly together, steam practically coming out both your ears.

Leo was finally able to stammer, "D-don't make this weird." Grasping your hand he pulled you towards him. Your body pitched forward and stretched out over his torso as he brought one of his arms around your waist, while the other fished for the blanket that had been draped along the backside of the couch. Pulling it down over the two of you, he hugged you closer to him.

An awkward silence followed, and you couldn't tell if the loud beating in your ears was due to your heart or his.

"B-Better?" He murmured against the top of your head.

You nod, afraid that your voice would crack should you try and speak. You weren't sure whether it was due to the blanket, or the new proximity between your bodies, but you were definitely warm now.

Leo bit his lip nervously. Even though your body had stopped shivering, he could still feel your rapid pulse thrumming against his chest. Were you nervous laying against him like this? Maybe he had moved too fast and made you feel uncomfortable.

He cleared his throat, "Really, is- is this ok?"

You nodded again, trying to find the words to best explain yourself, "Yeah, I just... I've not done this with a guy before... But..."

His lungs felt like they could barely take in a full breath as he whispered, "But?"

Your fingers curled against his sides, "But, this feels nice..."

Leo's heart fluttered uncontrollably at your tiny confession. This was the first time he'd been so comfortable with a girl. Being with you seemed so... effortless. Easy. Like you'd known each other for years. Were all human friendships supposed to be like this? He hadn't experienced this same kind of connection with April, or Casey for that matter. Putting such thoughts aside, he nuzzled his cheek against the top of your head, his fingers gently stroked the small of your back in tiny circular patterns, hoping to put you more at ease.

Your breathing evened out as you let yourself be soothed by his touch. It felt good. _He_ felt good. You wrapped your legs around one of his, the chords of bunched muscle resting between your thighs. As your body melted into bliss, you began to wonder if it was too late to retract your offer to help him with Karai. Was that selfish of you? You didn't even really know where you stood with Leo.

_Listen to me, 'Where I stand with him.' Stars (y/n), you've only known the guy for a couple of days!_

This type of infatuation couldn't be healthy. You tried to push it out of your brain, but the more you felt him stroke the small of your back, the more you felt prone to just tossing reason out the window.

Leo looked at your small frame against his large bulky green body. He'd long forgotten about the movie playing in the background, content simply having you here in his arms.

His mind wandered back to the shenanigans you and Mikey had gotten into this evening. Admittedly, he might have been a little jealous his brother got to see your place before he did. He was, however, more concerned about whatever you were keeping from him. Years of having to extract information from his siblings had made his senses hyper aware of when he wasn't being told the whole truth.

Maybe he'd ask you again later, but not now. Not today. He didn't want to seem like he was prying.

He played with a lock of your hair, too distracted by you to notice a pair of eyes glaring at the cozy scene.

"Tsk" the figure grunted before they turned and stormed off.


	11. Chapter 11

The next morning you tottered around the lair looking for any sign of life. You stopped in the middle of the living room, listening carefully to see if you could hear any movement around the area. Had you not purposefully been attuning your ears to capture some sort of sound, you probably would have missed the faint classical melody drifting from Donnie's lab. In some ways, it didn't surprise you; he struck you as someone who would be into that kind of music. What you couldn't prepare for was the image of him in full swing, waltzing clumsily around the room hand in hand with a mannequin that looked oddly like a stand-in for April. His purple bandana tail whipped around his head as he tried to keep time, tripping over his unsteady feet. His pace was inconsistent and about a step behind where he should be, making the whole spectacle just that much more comical, albeit precious, to watch.

A couple of days ago, seeing a walking, talking, turtle doing the waltz with a mannequin would have seemed very odd indeed. Yet now, you couldn't help but smile as you watched Donnie continue to twirl around the room, face plastered into a big goofy grin, unguarded and lost in his world. Putting a hand to your mouth, you stifled a giggle; he looked so adorable!

It was all too entertaining, and you lost track of how long you'd been standing there. Not wanting to disturb Donnie's fantasy, you turned to leave, accidentally kicking a discarded can near your feet. You flinched as its aluminum body rolled, clanging and rattling against the hard floor.

"(Y/n)??"

You looked back over your shoulder to see Donnie frozen in mid-spin, gaping at you in horror.

_ Ha! Guess he didn't want anyone to see him after all _ . You half turned and waved at him, awkwardly, "Hey!"

He looked at you, then back at the mannequin, shoving it quickly behind him in a futile effort to conceal it. "How long have you been standing there?! How'd you even get in?! I locked the door!!"

You scratched the back of your head, averting your eyes, "ah well...I mean, I've been here for a little bit, I guess. As for the door, it was unlocked when I got here."

He rushed over to see that indeed the lock hadn't seated correctly. His shoulders slumped in defeat as he sighed, "Well, I guess it's better to have had you witness this than my brothers."

You cocked your head to the side, "Would it be bad if they knew?"

He looked at you, appalled, "Are you kidding me?! Have you met my brothers?! I would never hear the end of it. Life as I know it would be over!"

You laughed at his theatric flare, guess that was the price of having siblings." What are you practicing for anyways?"

Twiddling his fingers, he shyly looked away, "Promise you won't make fun of me?"

You crossed your heart, "Scouts honor!"

He took a deep breath, "I have a date... with a girl. Well. It's not a date per-say. More like a designated meeting."

You eyed the mannequin, "I'm guessing with April?"

He blushed furiously, realizing he was still holding the makeshift April stand-in. "Y-Yeah.." he cleared his throat. "Her company is holding a gala, and there's an emphasis on ballroom dancing." You nodded your head to indicate you were still following along. 

"Well, I told her I'd help her learn the waltz, but..." he trailed off.

"Buuuuut, you don't know how to waltz either?" You raised your eyebrow at him.

He gave you a sad, defeated grin, "That obvious, huh?"

You shifted on your crutches and chuckled, "When are you meeting up with her?"

"Not for another few weeks. April's pretty busy with work, so she said we could start our lessons when things calmed down on her end." Donnie slumped down into a chair, the April doll falling limply at his side, he snorted, "I don't know what I was thinking. I figured It was enough time to teach myself some of the basics, but it seems like I have two left feet." He half-heartedly glanced at you, "You wouldn't happen to have any experience in this area, would you?" He threw the question out there, obviously expecting you to say no.

You grinned down at him cheekily, a twinkle in your eye, "Mm, you could say I know a thing or two."

You've never seen a man's face morph from defeat to shock to elation so fast. He was quick on his feet hovering near you, "Y-You do?! Really?! Would you...?! Could you...?!? I-I mean if you'd be willing!!!" He was practically panting with excitement, his sentences coming out in short bursts.

You laughed, "Of course I will! My ankle is still too sore to put weight on it, so I can't dance with you just yet, but these first few steps you can practice on your own. Do you have tape?"

Donnie shuffled away, rummaging like a madman through various drawers in his desk. "Ah-HAH!" Victoriously he whipped around, holding up a large roll of masking tape.

You grinned, "Perfect!" Taking it, you carefully lowered yourself to the ground, taping an outline of a small square on the floor. "Ok, this is going to be your home base for now."

Donnie tilted his head in confusion. "Huh?"

Wobbling, you stood up and dusted the dirt off your hands, "I don't want you going outside this square until you've mastered the basic tempo and movement of the waltz. Now, first things first," You tugged the scientist closer to you. He was probably the tallest of his brothers, his lankier features emphasized by his natural tendency to slouch so as not to stand out, "posture. No slouching." You smacked his turtle shell soundly, the clap of flesh hitting hard matter rang out through the lab. Letting out a small yelp of surprise, he immediately straightened his back. You circled him much like your mistress would when scrutinizing your posture during practice. "Shoulders back, chin level, chest out." You tugged and pulled at him, adjusting his body until you were satisfied. You snickered playfully, "comfy?"

He looked like he could collapse at any moment, the unnatural pose forcing him to tap into muscles he seldom used.

"V-very." He squeaked out.

You laughed, "Practice standing like this even when you aren't dancing, it'll help it feel more natural." He nodded, albeit a little apprehensively.

"When we dance, we count our steps to this beat: One, two-three, One, two-three, one, two-three" You clapped out the rhythm with your hands, emphasizing the one, followed quickly by two and three. Donnie nodded again, mimicking the pace of your count. "Good! Now, since you're the man, you'll be leading. Watch my feet." You hobbled over to the square, placing your feet on the left bottom corner. "So all you're doing is making a box with your feet. Move your left foot to the top left corner; this is the first beat. Then you're going to take your right foot and slide it up to meet your left, but then move it to the right top corner of the box; this is beat two. And then you're just going to bring your left foot over towards your right, and that's beat three." You demonstrate the movement. "See what I'm doing? So step, then slide up and over, then step." You glanced up to see Donnie scribbling notes furiously.

_ At least he's not taking this lightly _ , you smiled.

You continued your demonstration of the box movement, stepping back from the square once you were confident he understood.

Donnie tried to recreate what you'd just shown him, but often tripped up on the slide movement. You thought about it for a bit, "Think about it this way D, the first step is the enemy moving in for a surprise attack. The second is a 'ninja foot' that comes to attack the enemy but realizes it's a trap and flees from that corner. And the last step is the enemy coming after the ninja." Somehow that seemed to click better with him, and you giggled as he mumbled "ninja foot" each time he slipped his foot away.

You turned on his classical music again, so that he had something helping him keep time. After a bit, Donnie seemed to grasp the concept and did remarkably better, his confidence once again rekindled in his dancing abilities.

He grinned at you, "check this out!" 

Stepping outside the square, he made large sweeping motions, using his newfound knowledge to waltz in circles around you.

"Hey now! What'd I say about staying in the square?" You scolded him, moving slightly out of his way as he twirled a little too close.

"Awe come on! I totally got this-"

He twirled again, his body almost touching yours.

"D-Donnie!!"

" _ WhoooaaaAAGH _ !!"

Unable to move out of his way in time, you both became entangled with each other and toppled over onto the floor. Donnie's body hovered above you, his legs straddling either side as he rubbed his head.

"Ah jeez (y/n), I'm sorry! I honestly thought I had it!" He looked down at you sulkily.

You laughed up at him, "you can't learn this in a few minutes D! It takes practice, no different than your martial arts." Moving your leg, you winced. Even though you'd protected it pretty well, the fall still stung your ankle slightly.

Donnie's face contorted into worry, "Are you ok?!"

You nodded, "Yeah, it's just sore is all."

Suddenly he smacked his head, "I'm such an idiot!"

"It's really ok. You didn't hurt me or anything." Still laying on the cement floor beneath him, you patted his leg reassuringly.

"No, not that! I completely forgot I developed something that'll help your ankle heal faster!"

You gasped, "what?! Really?!"

He grinned at you, nervously, "well, in theory, anyway."

You looked up at him, skeptically, "Your confidence is overwhelming."

He laughed, "Well, I don't want to lie to you." Looking down at you appreciatively, he murmured, "Hey... thanks again for your help with this. Could, I mean, do you think maybe, if it's not too much trouble that is, could we maybe continue these lessons?"

You looked at him curiously, "Of course! I was planning to anyway."

He sighed with relief. "Thank you so much (y/n)! Ah, also, would you mind maybe not telling my brothers about this? It's a little embarrassing for me...."

You smiled, "Of course! My lips are sealed!"

_ Dang, I'm starting to rack up quite a few secrets these days between Mikey and Donnie. I'm beginning to feel like a secret agent.  _

Suddenly the lab door creaked open, and Leo walked in, "Hey Donnie, do you know where-?" His voice faltered, seeing his brother positioned over you.

Both you and Donnie froze.

Leo's face fell, and a frightening calm came over him as he asked, "What's going on here?"

Of all the people to find you in this situation, it just HAD to be him, didn't it?! Your brain was scrambling to come up with an excuse that didn't involve exposing Donnie's secret. You weren't even sure why you had to think about it; the reason was legitimate enough, he just bumped into you. Nothing suspicious about that, right?

Scrambling into a standing position, Donnie helped you to your feet. Fidgeting with his fingers, he stammered, "Ah well, you see... we-we were... um..." he looked to you pleadingly.

"-We were... I mean,  _ you _ were about to show me the concoction you made that is supposedly going to help heal my ankle faster."

Leo shifted closer, eyeing the two of you suspiciously. "Really." His flat tone left little doubt that he was less than convinced.

"Yes." You cleared your throat, hoping Donnie would take the hint. When he still didn't explain why you two were on the ground together, you continued, "but on my way over, one of my crutches caught on something, and I lost my balance. He tried to catch me, but it was too late, and I ended up taking him down with me." 

Leo's eyes flicked back over to his brother, noting the nervous sweat that slowly trickled down his brow.

"Y-Yes! Tipped right over with her. Heavy as a rock this one."

You nudged him offendedly in the side. He winced, "That is, i-if she was a rock made out of feathers."

_Oh, for crying out-_ You knew you were a terrible liar, but Donnie was just the worst. 

The leader huffed, "That doesn't even make any sense."

He gulped, "J-just... abnormally heavy feathers, I guess?" He stuttered, "A-anyway, the important thing is, I did come up with a serum that should enhance (y/n's) rate of recovery." Falling more comfortably into the conversation as the topic veered towards his research, Donnie continued, "I've been speculating how our tissue seems to mend at a much higher rate than that of the average person. Given that, I figured if I reconfigured the cellular structure of our DNA to manipulate itself around human tissue-"

Leo cut in, "Donnie, before you go any further, remember, we're not scientists here."

The young genius wrinkled his nose in slight annoyance, "Fine. In layman's terms, 'I have a thingy to fix her booboo.'"

You hid your laughter behind your hands, for the first time, seeing a snarky side to the gentle giant that you weren't expecting.

"Now, where did I put that-" He rummaged around in his small refrigerator.

You and Leo shared a look, grinning at each other over Donnie's slightly hectic work area. His eyes crinkled with brotherly humor despite being mocked for not following Donnie's science-speak. 

_ He really does have such a nice smile. _ You lingered there a little longer before moving your focus from his mouth to his eyes, blushing at the realization that you had been staring at his lips perhaps a little too long. He must have noticed, as a dull pink settled on his cheeks. The two of you quickly looked away in embarrassment, clearing your throats to fill the silence.

"Ah-HA!" You both jumped, hearing Donnie's happy exclamation upon finding the item in question. Turning, you eyed the syringe resting between his fingers.

No. Ohhhh, no.

Nononononononono.

Absolutely not.

Your body trembled, and suddenly the air seemed stale.

Needles.

You hated needles.

You'd much rather take on that army of ninjas at the warehouse again over a shot. You could feel your head getting woozy just looking at it.

Leo glanced at you, noting the sickly pallor your face had become. "(Y/n)? Are you ok?"

"Y-Yeah... I just, I didn't realize it was going to be a-a..." You gulped.

"A shot?" Leo finished for you.

You shook your head rapidly, "Someone FAILED to mention that part." You leveled a glare at the scientist.

Donnie rolled his eyes, "It's just a small needle."

_ It is practically the size of my ARM! Ok, slight exaggeration, but not by much. _

You could live with a bum ankle for a bit longer. It would eventually heal. No need to do anything drastic and bring needles into the situation, right? Your mind raced for a way out, "Ya know, I just remembered that I promised Mikey I'd show him some cooking tips today. I think I hear him rustling outside in the living room right now; I shouldn't keep the poor guy waiting. Um, but thank you all the same for trying to help me out." Both turtles watched as you slowly began to edge away, "I know you're super busy with stuff, and I don't want to take up any more of your time, so I'm just going to go! Ok? Okthnxbye!!!" You turned, trying to make a quick escape.

"Oh no, you don't!" Leo rushed forward and grabbed your waist from behind. Your crutches fell to the floor in a loud clang as you thrashed in his arms.

He held you tightly against him, "Hey-hey Hey! Easy, Easy! Calm down! It's ok. I got you." He whispered soothingly in your ear.

"Let me go, Leo!! I don't want it!! I hate shots! I hate them!!" You cried out in his arms, but he continued to hold fast to your squirming form. After a few seconds, your body went limp, seeing as it was futile to fight against his inhuman strength.

He tried to reason with you, "Y/n, listen to me-"

"No." You pouted.

You felt a deep chuckle resonate against your back, "You're going to create so much trouble for me, aren't you?" You caught the teasing tone of his voice before it lulled softly into a murmur filled with care, "Y/n if this can help, don't you think it's worth giving it a try?"

Your lower lip trembled pitifully. It seemed somewhat unfair that despite your trepidation, Leo's words wrapped around you like a warm blanket of security.

He rested his chin against your shoulder, hugging you gently to himself as he cooed, "Would it help if you held my hand?"

The prospect was looking a little more tempting, but not by much. You groaned, knowing the brothers were just trying to help. Reluctantly, you nodded, earning a small grin from the blue-banded turtle as he brought you over to the makeshift medical table in the middle of the room.

You gripped his hand tightly and looked back at Donnie, anticipation knotting your stomach like it was trying to eat itself. 

Leo tugged your chin back towards him and whispered, "Don't worry about what he's doing; just focus on me." His hand caressed your cheek, leaving a hot streak of electricity buzzing across your skin.

Tucking a stray hair behind your ear, he studied your face, eyes raking over the fading path of childhood freckles that graced your nose, a constellation of stars yet to be explored. Your lips, he noticed, were soft, sweet, and enticingly full. He was confident there was a bevy of men back on the surface that had been innocently tempted by them.

Your body flushed as Leo's gaze returned to meet your eyes. How could someone not get lost in those endless sapphire pools? Your heart pumped rapidly as your brain tried to reason through the static haze he seemed to lull you into. You were so focused on him that you barely registered what Donnie was saying.

"Ok, don't look, but you're going to feel a small pinch like this," he 'pinched' you while discreetly administering the shot, "Alright?"

You gave a brief nod and squeezed your eyes shut. 

"Great, here it comes in 3-2-1... Annnnnd we're done!"

You blinked as you turned back towards him, "but I didn't feel a pinch!"

"Well, I guess I'm just that good at giving shots then." He subtly winked at Leo.

"Wow!!! You're amazing, Donnie!! I seriously didn't feel a thing!" You looked at the small bandaid he placed on your arm.

"See? That wasn't so bad, was it?" He looked between you and Leo, noting your tightly clasped hands together. He grinned slyly, "The two of you can let go of each other now..."

You both jerk with a start, quickly parting from one another as a deep red stained your cheeks.

Leo scratched his head, awkwardly, "G-Glad I could help..."

Donnie cleared his throat, "The medicine should cut the healing time in half. One dose today, and then tomorrow, we'll give you your last one."

You groaned, "I have to get another shot?!"

"Yes, but on the bright side, you should see a dramatic difference within the next day or so!" Donnie grinned at you.

Torture aside, you had to admit that would be pretty impressive. "Donnie, you could make a lot of money with this stuff! As dancers, we're always spraining or hurting something in our feet."

Donnie paused at this new information.  _ So, she's a dancer, huh? _ The pieces were beginning to fall into place. Now he understood how you knew so much about ballroom dancing, and why you were so good at teaching it.

He smiled ruefully back at you, "Yes, well, I'm sure the whole turtle appearance would evoke a lot of scrutiny concerning the soundness of my work."

You frowned. Not that you weren't guilty of the same thing, but it saddened you that, despite how hard the brothers worked to keep the city safe, people still wouldn't accept them because of their appearance. Donnie's shoulders drooped sadly, and you felt a pang shoot through your heart for the well-meaning scientist. You wrapped your arms around him in a fierce hug, "Well, I appreciate you."

Taken back by your sudden embrace, Donnie stiffened, but soon relaxed, hugging you in return as a grin spread across his face, "Thanks (y/n)."

Leo smiled; it was rare to find someone who accepted them as readily as April and Casey had. He knew it was hard on his brothers, not being able to interact with the human world the way they wanted to. If they could experience even a moment of human kindness, Leo was grateful for it.

He shifted from foot to foot.  _ That being said... Hadn't the two of you been hugging a little too long? _ He watched his brother's hands rub up and down your back as he snuggled into your embrace. Somehow, he couldn't help the slight feeling of agitation that seemed to follow. Leo shook his head, hoping to reign in his seemingly irrational emotions.  _ What is wrong with me?!  _

You let go of Donnie and smiled up at him.

He grinned sheepishly, "Well, I better get back to fixing the van. No rest for the weary, right?" He leaned down and whispered, "Thanks again... for your help me with you-know-what."

You knocked him in the arm playfully and nodded, "Of course! Anytime."

And with that, he shuffled away into his den of gadgets, leaving only you and Leo in the room.

You hobbled over to Leo's side as he motioned towards Donnie with his chin, "What was that all about?"

Waving him aside, you mumbled, "Ah, it's nothing."

His body shifted, and his focus became riveted on you "(Y/n)..."

Maybe it was the change in his voice, but you suddenly felt the hairs on the back of your neck stand.

He gently placed his hand on your shoulder, the gesture making you hyper-aware that something wasn't quite right. "Would you mind telling me what really happened when I first came in here?"

You knew it. There was no way the leader was going to fall for your explanation of the scene he walked in on. You tried to sidestep the question with another, "A-are you suggesting that we lied to you?"

He carefully chose his next words, "I'm suggesting there's more to this story than what I'm hearing."

You could feel yourself starting to sweat. But you promised Donnie you wouldn't say anything, and a man's pride was undoubtedly a worthy thing to protect, right? However, you also didn't want Leo to misunderstand the situation either. You didn't want him thinking you were going after his brother when...

_ When, what?  _

The cogs in your brain began to shift, and you quickly tried to backpedal your reasoning.  _ This is ridiculous. My only concern is making sure Leo doesn't think I'm making any weird passes at his family. That's all.  _

"It was an accident, honestly. Donnie just fell on top of me."

His eyes narrowed, "Interesting, considering the story previously was you slipped, and Donnie tried to save you."

You gulped, "T-That's what I meant; he accidentally fell while trying to save me." You tried to move further away.

_ This conversation is getting unnecessarily serious.  _

"Hey, I think I hear Mikey watching one of the new movies. We should go check it out!" you tried to slip out of the topic.

Leo was far from fooled, though, "Don't change the subject. Why did you-"

"Good  _ lord _ , Leo!" You'd gone from uncomfortable to irritatable at his continuous line of questioning. "Nothing happened! Why can't you just let it go?!"

He clenched his fists as he shot back, " _ Because _ I know you're hiding something from me! And not just today, but last night when you and Mikey got home."

You both glared at each other in what soon became a mini stare down.

Your heart ached. Why was this happening?! You two were having such a sweet moment before, and now you were practically at each other's throats.

Finally, you broke, flinging your hands in the air in exasperation, "ok, fine, you're right. I  _ AM _ hiding something from you."

"I knew that already, I'm asking you to tell me  _ what _ you're hiding."

"No." You bit out and turned to leave.

He caught your arm, "Why not?!"

"Because it's  _ none of your business! _ "

He growled, punctuating each word as it came out, "Everything. In this household. Is my business."

"No, you just  _ want _ it to be!" You jerked your arm out of his grasp and angrily made your way towards the living room.

Leo clenched his teeth in frustration, flinching as the lab door slammed behind you. He cast his eyes to the ground, chewing on his lower lip thoughtfully; your parting words stinging much more than he cared to admit.

You flopped on the couch beside Mikey, who gave you a curious look. Despite your calm outward appearance, your mind buzzed frantically.

_ Oh my gosh... ohmygosh-ohmygosh-ohmygosh... I'm dead. I'm SO SO dead!! What the heck!? I - I just told the leader off...  _


	12. Chapter 12

Three days. It'd been three, long, agonizing days since the lab incident. You'd since received your additional shot, this time without the assistance of Leo holding your hand. A decision Donnie later came to regret when you continually jerked away from the needle. After some persuasion and a subtle threat that if you didn't stop moving, he would tie you to the table, he managed to get you to sit still. Within the next couple of days, you felt a miraculous difference in your ankle, and, despite thinking you didn't need them anymore, Donnie insisted you stay on your crutches for a while longer.

Currently, you were hanging out with Raph, playing 'assistant' by handing him the weights he needed. Neither of you talked much, but that was ok, you preferred the silence. It was a nice reprieve from Leo's constant badgering as of late.

"(Y/n)?"

It's not that you blamed him for wanting to know what happened that day. The position he'd found you and Donnie in was somewhat compromising, to say the least.

"Hellooo? (y/n)?"

You bristled.  _ But it's not like Leo has to know EVERY little thing that goes on! Why can't he just let it go?!  _

"YO! EARTH TO (Y/N)!"

A gruff voice snapped you out of your thoughts. Turning, you realized that you were holding a weight just out of Raph's reach. He rose up from the bench and towered over you, "If you're gonna daydream, go waste Mikey's time instead of mine." Huffing in annoyance, he snatched the weight from you.

"Sorry, Raph." You muttered.

He sat down with a grunt, curling the weight with his arm. After a minute, the hothead shot you a glance, noting how your face was scrunched in thought. You hadn't been your usual chipper self, and it bothered him.

He grumbled. What was he supposed to say? Girls were too... squishy, and complicated, and he didn't really want to butt in. He wasn't exactly what you'd call the counseling type.

Raph pumped the weight a few more times before he was unable to take the silence anymore. He raised his hands in defeat, "Ok, what's up with you?"

You looked at him, confused.

"Don't give me that look. You've been moppin' around since ya got here."

You scratched your nose awkwardly, unaware that your inner turmoil was so self-evident. It was difficult; on the one hand, it'd be nice to get things off your chest. On the other, you knew if you told Raph, he'd likely say, "I told you so," which you were super not in the mood for.

He sighed, "Whatever. If you don't wanna tell me, fine. Leo's better at this kinda stuff anyway." He saw your face flinch at the mention of his brother's name.

He sighed.  _ Figures _ .

Clearing his throat, Raph muttered, "Look, kid, I don't know what's goin' on, but whatever's botherin' ya, you just gotta grab it by the balls. No ones gonna solve your problems for you."

You tried to stifle a laugh thinking of Leo's face if you suddenly grabbed him by the balls.  _ Yeah, that'd be a real shock to his system. _

Sighing, your shoulders sagged, "I know. I just don't know what to say without..."

_ Compromising somebody else... _

Raph came around and patted you on the head, "Yeah, well, sometimes even when you're not sure what to say, it's better to talk things out instead of keepin' it all in."

You quirked a brow at him, a smile tickling the edge of your lips, "That's the pot calling the kettle black, don't you think?"

He shrugged his shoulders and grinned back at you, "I never said I was a good example."

You laughed, a welcome sound to Raphs ears. "Now, ya gonna help me with these weights or what?"

* * *

Leo paced in his room alone.

Three days and he still hadn't gotten any closer to finding out what you were hiding from him. Being the eldest of his brothers, he was pretty good about whittling out the truth from his siblings. With you though, it's like, the more he dug, the more closed off you became, and it was driving him crazy.

He'd gone to the dojo to let off some steam. Maybe he was upset because he'd mistakenly felt like you had grown closer to him. The way you had started opening up, and that connection he felt when he held you in his arms... was all of that meaningless? He hit the punching bag.

Not that he expected anything exceedingly deep to have developed already, the two of you had, after all, just met. Still, he missed talking with you. He cursed his overprotective behavior.

**{PUNCH-PUNCH}**

His stupid...

**{PUNCH}**

Overprotective...

**{PUNCH}**

Nosy...

**{PUNCH}**

Behavior.

**{PUNCH-PUNCH-PUNCH}**

Of course, none of this would have happened if you'd just told him what was going on in the first place. You didn't have to be so bullheadedly stubborn.

He grumbled, knowing full well he was only kidding himself. He was the one in the wrong, and he darn well knew it. As his thoughts continued to rage inside his head, Leo repeatedly hit the punching bag, venting all of his frustrations into the severely beaten leather. Once his energy was spent, he leaned against it, panting and desperately trying to regain control over his emotions.  _ C'mon _ .  _ Get it together, Leo. _

Grabbing a towel, he wiped the sweat from his brow, resting his face in the soft material as he sighed in frustration. He was so caught up in his thoughts that he didn't hear his brother enter the room.

"Hey." Donnie leaned up against the frame of the door.

Leo jerked with a start. Realizing it was just him, he looked at his brother dejectedly, "Oh. Hey."

Silence.

Donnie was the first to break the awkwardness, "You've been kind of out of it these last couple of days. Is something wrong?"

Leo bristled, "Nothing's wrong. I just have a lot on my mind."

Donnie rolled his eyes, "Yes, well, that would explain your overall bad mood and why you've been stomping around the lair like an ogre."

Leo grunted and turned his back on his brother, "busying" himself with cleaning up the weights around the dojo.

The purple turtle sighed, "If this has anything to do with what happened in the lab with (y/n), I can tell you. It's just a bit embarrassing is all-"

"I don't want to hear it from you. It's gotta be from her." Leo stilled, looking down sadly at the weights beneath his fingers, "It's gotta be her choice if she tells me."

"But that's what I'm trying to say, I'm the one who-"

Seizing his towel, Leo pushed past him, mumbling that he needed a shower beneath his breath.

Donnie sighed, feeling like he created an unnecessary monster. Hopefully, (Y/n) would be able to bring him out of this funk soon. For all their sakes. Because Leo's training was becoming more brutal by the day.

* * *

Leo flung the door open to his bedroom, now in an even fouler mood than when he'd left. In truth, he wasn't mad at Donnie, or (Y/N); he was irritated at himself and his behavior.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a tiny body sprawled out on the bed. Parts of you were wrapped within the sheets, while others were left exposed. On more than one occasion, he'd noticed your feet poking out from the covers, remembering you claimed it helped regulate how hot or cold your body stayed. Sure enough, your toes wiggled in the air. In your hands, you cradled a book, one of his books.

Your eyes shot up from your reading material. Unsure of how to react, you fidgeted with the corner of the pages. Neither of you had been on good talking terms lately, and striking up a casual conversation seemed harder than normal. You could tell Leo felt equally unsure how to approach you, his weight shifting nervously from foot to foot. In any other situation, you would have laughed and found his timidness cute.

He walked over to you slowly, "Um, r-reading a book?" Mentally he cursed himself.  _ No, Leo, she's just staring at the pages for fun. _

You nodded your head, "Yeah, it's one of yours, actually. Sorry, I didn't ask before taking it."

He sat down gingerly on the edge of the bed as if approaching an easily spooked animal. "It's fine. Which one is it?"

You flipped it over to show him the cover, "The Book of Five Rings. Musashi is a pretty interesting guy. Not to mention an extremely skilled swordsman!"

Leo grinned, it was one of his favorites, both the author and the book itself. He nodded, "I often thought he was an amazing swordsman because he was a wise man first. If you like that, then you should read his other book, 'Path of Aloneness,' it's also pretty eye-opening. A lot of what Master Splinter taught us is actually based on these books."

"Really?! I'll have to check it out!" You smiled, aware of how much you missed talking to Leo. Avoiding him was killing you, but your conversations always seemed to end up in a fight over what happened with Donnie and Mikey.

_ Raph's right, I have to take charge and clear things up, we can't keep going like this. _

Leo opened and closed his mouth several times before sighing, "Well, I'm going to take a shower." He started to get off the bed but froze when he felt your hand shoot out and grab his wrist.

"W-Wait..."

An awkward silence hung between the two of you as you tried to figure out how you were going to approach the elephant in the room.

Leo shifted his hand and grasped yours, giving it a small squeeze, "Yes?" He looked at you, hopefully.

Your thoughts whizzed about in your brain a million miles a minute, with nothing coherent coming together.

"I..." you swallowed thickly.

Leo's features softened as he looked at you, making it that much harder to form a complete sentence.

"I, um-"

_ C'mon girl, anything will do at this point. Just say something!! _

"What is it?" Leo's voice was deep and husky. His thumb rubbed gently against the palm of your hand, and your treacherous body shivered with pleasure at the familiar touch.

You shut your eyes from him, hoping that would help your focus. However, your brain went on strike, and you instantly regretted the words that splurged out of your mouth, "I...... I THINK I'LL SLEEP IN RAPHS ROOM TONIGHT!" You blurted. 

_...What?! No!!! _

It was too late, though. You looked up and saw the hurt in Leo's eyes. He dropped your hand from his grasp. The silence that proceeded was deafening, causing the blood in your veins to turn to ice. You flinched when he finally spoke, his voice void of emotion as he murmured, "If that's what you want."

_ No!! It's not!!  _ Your mind screamed.

Your head nodded, almost imperceptibly, against your will. Even with your eyes cast away, you could still feel his penetrating gaze on you. Without another word, Leo turned and left towards the shower.

Your heart hammered in your chest as you frantically looked for answers as to why you said that. Maybe a part of you hoped Leo would turn around and tell you that he wanted you to stay with him. But he didn't. You couldn't blame him, why would he? Tears began stinging the corners of your eyes.

_ Stop it. You're the one that put yourself in this mess. _

Wiping the wetness from your cheeks, you started gathering your stuff together before Leo got out of the shower. Trudging to Raph's room, you walked the path of one condemned. 

* * *

Leo rested his forehead against the shower wall as the lukewarm water ran down his body, swirling down the drainpipe along with his feelings. He hadn't expected you to announce you wanted to stay with Raph. Had things really gotten so bad? Could you really not stand to be around him anymore?

His thoughts grew dark, and he cursed the air silently. He hated this. It was probably good that he was about to go on patrol because staying here in the lair would have driven him crazy, knowing his brother was allowed the pleasure of your company when he wasn't. He slapped the handle roughly to turn the shower off, only to stand there motionless for another 5 minutes as the water dripped from his emerald skin. Grabbing a towel, he dried himself haphazardly before stepping back into his room.

He noticed you'd already gathered your stuff and left. It felt empty without you. Even when you two were bickering, he still loved your presence. He sat on the edge of his bed, shoulders slumped as he buried his face between his hands. Glancing to the side, he noticed you'd left the book you were reading. He idly rubbed his hand over the well-worn cover, as if the action could somehow magically bring you back.

Pitching himself backward onto his bed, he began to wonder, was it really worth it? Was the knowledge of what happened with his brothers really worth pushing you away? He stared at the ceiling, wishing he could find the answer etched somewhere there. Turning, he nuzzled his nose into the pillow, the smell of your shampoo still lingered on the fabric. He sighed again.

_ I'm such an idiot. _


	13. Chapter 13

Despite the late hour, the heart of New York remained alive and bustling. Tall buildings twinkled, their windows shining bright with the glow of late-night workers, toiling under tight deadlines. Because the city didn't stop, neither did its inhabitants. So focused on their task, no one noticed the green blur weaving its way in and out of the shadows.

Leo's patrol was _supposed_ to help him keep his mind off you. Instead, he found it allowed him even more time to think. His face scowled. He couldn't believe you decided to move into Raph's room. Of all people, Raph! Of course, you _had_ to choose the one brother he frequently butted heads with. He'd probably tell you that you were justified in your anger, that Leo had been entirely unreasonable and had stuck his nose where it didn't belong.

He frowned. Unfortunately, in this instance, Leo couldn't argue with that.

What could he do to make amends? Apologize? That was undoubtedly the best course of action. He let out a soft, defeated sigh. Honestly, it was probably too late to ask for forgiveness, but maybe you two could come to some sort of understanding. But what if you couldn't? What if you decided to completely shut him out forever?

His hands ran over his face as he groaned, _uggghhh, could this get any worse?!_

An alarm sounded in the distance, and Leo noticed a handful of Foot soldiers emerging from a store.

Unsheathing his blades, he growled, "You're just in time, boys, I needed to blow off some steam."

He descended upon the unsuspecting group, erupting the alleyway into a cacophony of clanging metal. Leo could tell he was in a bad mood. Even with their overwhelming numbers, the ninjas didn't land a single blow on him. Each blade pointed in his direction was quickly cut down, and after a few minutes, their bodies laid scattered on the ground before him. Not dead, of course. Even with his rotten mood, Leo wasn't about to take a life unnecessarily. Another thing he and Raph disagreed about concerning Shredders underlings.

He sighed, prodding one of the bodies with his foot, "Jeez, I thought I'd work up _some_ sort of sweat at least." Leo peered down at their motionless figures sadly, "What a waste of a life. You could be doing so much more than this..."

"Having issues with your brothers listening to you again, Leonardo?" A pair of soft feet landed delicately behind him. "Or is talking to the unconscious a new habit of yours?"

Leo recognized the owner's voice instantly. Karai. Oddly, her presence didn't conjure the butterflies he usually felt when she was near.

He straightened, tossing her an unamused glance, "Ha. Ha. Very funny."

Karai studied the back of his rigid form carefully. Something was off. Where was the blushing mess of a leader she was accustomed to seeing? Intrigued, she smirked and teased, "You know, you could always fight _with_ us, instead of against us. Then you could talk to these men while they're still, I don't know, actually able to hold a conversation. Wouldn't that be _thrilling_?"

He clenched his hands into fists, "Better yet, why don't _you_ join _us_? I've told you before, Splinter would gladly welcome you back." Leo turned to face her, "He's your father, Karai, not Shredder. Why can't you see that?"

She rolled her eyes, "This again? Aren't you getting a little tired of spouting this nonsense?"

He sighed. It was always the same thing, "At least consider joining our team, if nothing else. You could do so much good..."

She let out a disbelieving snort, "And be a good-two-shoes like you? Pass. Unlike you, I'm free to do whatever I want. You should try it sometime."

Leo turned away from her in frustration and grumbled, "You know I can't."

"C'mon Leo, live a little. Feel what it's like to be on the dark side for once." Coming from behind, Karai ran her fingers across the lip of his shell, down his taut shoulders, "I promise you, it can be quite... liberating." She whispered against his neck, her voice rolling off her lips with seductive secrecy.

Leo's breath caught. She was close. This may have been the closest she'd ever come to him, other than when she was pressing a knife to his neck. Was she flirting with him? Bah, why did he have to be so bad at this kind of thing? Maybe he could ask you when he got ba-

His mind froze.

No, he couldn't ask you. Not while things were the way they were. And now he wasn't sure he'd ever get the chance since you absconded to Raph's room.

...What were you doing with him right now? Maybe you were curled up in his arms, seeking comfort. Perhaps Raph was wiping the tears away from your face. Tears that Leo was responsible for.

He shouldn't have let you go. Not without having talked to you.

"Enough." He murmured.

"What was that?" Karai purred as she continued to brush her fingers across his skin.

"I said, _enough!_ " Turning, he pushed her hand away from him. Karai's face twisted in bewilderment, and he immediately regretted his sudden outburst.

She jerked her hand back offendedly.

"Sorry, I-" He cast his eyes away, apologetically, "I can't do this right now." Leo stepped back, shaking his head. Karai or not, he couldn't stand to be there a moment longer. Not when you were home, upset over his selfish behavior. "I have to go."

Before she could get another word in, he scaled the building walls and disappeared into the night.

"H-Hey! Wait!" Karai reached for his retreating figure, but he was gone. Her hands clenched in frustration.

_What the hell?_

* * *

Leo's feet flew across the city rooftops, each passing second was time wasted being apart from you. Reaching the lair, he immediately stormed Raph's room, flinging the door wide open.

Raph sat up from his bench and rolled his eyes, "Yeah, sure, just come on in. Make yourself at home, why dontcha?"

_She wasn't here. Why wasn't she here?_

Raph huffed, "Ya know, you gotta lotta nerve showing up in here, especially after I just spent-" Leo didn't wait for him to finish that sentence before slamming the door on his face.

_Mikey. Maybe she was with Mikey._

His mind was focused, he had to find you. Had to make things right.

Mikey was on the couch, two slices of double-stacked pizzas in his hands. The seat next to him - empty. The youngest looked at Leo with shock, cheese dripping from his too-full mouth as he asked, "Back alweady, bwo?! I thought you juft lef- Hey! Weo? Where you goin', man?!"

Leo ran towards Donnie's lab. She had to be there, where else could she be?!

The young scientist was found bent over his table, working on another tech project he'd conjured up. But no (Y/n). Leo was beginning to panic. _Did she leave the lair?! What if the Foot got her?! It wasn't safe for her to be roaming around topside yet!_

Donnie glanced up to see his brother's eyes frantically moving about the lab. "Leo? What's wrong?" It was rare to see his brother in such a state; it threw him off-guard for a moment.

"Have you seen (y/n)?!"

Donnie tilted his head, "Yes."

Leo's eyes lit up for a moment until he realized his brother wasn't going to elaborate. "And?!"

"And what?" Donnie went back to looking through the microscope at the small circuits he was patching together. "Please be specific." A silent chuckle passed beneath his breath, knowing full well what Leo was asking for. He didn't feel bad, considering how much hell Leo had put them through the last couple of days.

Marching over and grabbing him by the shoulders, Leo spun his brother around and shook him urgently, "Donnie for the love of- where _IS_ she???"

Donnie pulled away, "Ok, all _this..._ " he motioned towards Leo with his hands, "...needs to calm down. She's in the kitchen." He'd no sooner gotten the words out of his mouth before Leo sprinted out the door.

Donnie smirked. _Geeze, finally!_

* * *

The nervous wreck of a leader paced just outside the kitchen door, having rushed there without formulating a plan. Should he start by apologizing? No, it would be better to start with an explanation of what a complete and total moron he had been - would likely continue to be. That this whole mess was entirely his fault, and that you, in no way, shape, or form, ever had to explain anything to him.

His fingers fidgeted nervously against each other. Of course, all this was subject to whether you even stuck around long enough to listen to him. Leo straightened. He had to try. Had to at _least_ attempt to make things right again.

As he stepped through the barrier, any plans he had instantly turned to white noise.

You were hovering over the mixer, flour dusting your face and hair while your tongue poked out of your mouth in concentration. You had yet to notice Leo. He was ok with that, enjoying the ability to watch you in your chaotic little cooking world. The air was thick with an aroma he was unfamiliar with, but it smelled heavenly.

_Ok, Leo, it's now or never._

He silently approached you, holding his breath as he drew near. You hummed a soft tune, and his face broke out into a smile at the familiar sound of your voice.

About a foot away, he cleared his throat, "*ahem* um...(y/n)?" Your back stiffened, and his heart sank. Part of him half expected you to bolt from the room.

Shutting the mixer off, you slowly turned to face him. He grinned at the mess running down the front of your apron, resisting the urge to wipe away the flour dusting your cheeks and nose.

"Hey..." You waved nervously at him.

"H-Hey..." He stammered back. There was a tense moment of silence between the two of you. Taking a deep breath, he gently, cautiously took both of your flour ladened hands in his. Your skin was so much softer than his, he noted.

"(Y/n), look, I... I'm sorry."

He felt your fingers twitch ever so slightly as he continued, "You were right. I should never have pestered you to tell me something you didn't want to." He shifted on the balls of his feet, looking down at where your hands joined. "Sometimes, I get so overprotective of you, and... well, I'm not sure what happens." His cheeks tinged red with embarrassment. You remained silent, and he couldn't bring himself to look at you, afraid of what he'd read in your face, "I'm not proud of what I did, and, maybe saying sorry isn't enough. But I promise you, I won't bother you again about the lab incident or whatever happened with Mikey."

When you still didn't say anything, Leo was sure it was because you were too upset at him to speak. He tried to fill the silence, "I know, I'm a total idiot—a nosy idiot who gets in people's faces when things don't go my way. And I'll probably mess up again," He rolled his eyes, " _definitely_ will mess up again. B-But I-"

His eyes widened as he felt a pair of arms wrap around his neck and pull him into a tight embrace. The air in his lungs froze as your body pressed against his. _She-She's hugging me! Oh my gosh, she's hugging me! Does that mean-?_

He pulled back slightly and looked down at you, unable to keep the pale blush from settling on his cheeks at the huge smile stretching across your face—that beautiful, warm smile of yours. Leo's stomach flipped and fluttered as his heart throbbed painfully against his chest. A reaction he was too distracted to understand. His hands hovered awkwardly near your sides. _Was this ok? Could he hold you as well?_ Tentatively, his hands settled on your hips. When you didn't pull away, his arms slid around your back and pulled you into a tight embrace, hugging you firmly against his chest. He let out a sigh of relief. He didn't realize just how much he missed you, missed _this_. You radiated light and comfort, like the sun, and slowly, he felt his fears melt away.

Nestling his nose into the crown of your head, Leo inhaled your scent. That sweet, intoxicating scent that he loved so much. He rested his forehead against yours, finally letting himself smile.

You looked up into his clear, beautiful blue eyes, "Leo..."

"Wait! Before you say anything..." He took a step back, letting his hands fall down your arms before settling on your hips. Your heart fluttered shamelessly. His face contorted into a mixture of emotions that only seemed to heighten how shaky and uncertain his voice was.

"I... I want you to stay..."

You tilted your head, "Stay?"

Leo scratched his cheek nervously before nodding, "With me. Please." His posture straightened as his voice regained some of its natural confidence, "I don't want you to be with anyone else. Please, stay with me... not Raph."

Your eyes widened, realizing what he was trying to say. You grinned sheepishly at him, "Oh, well, I'm glad to hear you say that 'cause... I kinda already put all my stuff back in your room. Eh-heh..."

"Wait, what?! I thought you moved your stuff in with Raph?!"

You twiddled your thumbs in embarrassment, "Yeeeaahh, about that... I sort of told him what I'd done, and he basically kicked me out of his room and told me to grow a pair and talk to you."

It wasn't a lie. After listening to a ten-minute explanation, complete with nose running and bouts of sobbing, Raph practically threw your bag of belongings at you, saying he wouldn't let you come back in until you had a proper conversation with his annoying brother.

Leo felt a pang of guilt for having doubted Raph's intentions. He made a mental note to thank him after this.

A ding went off. Whirling around, you grabbed two hot pads and removed the mystery item from the oven. Leo suddenly realized the heavenly aroma in the kitchen was due to you baking a cake. You fanned it briefly, placing it on the cooling rack before turning back around to him sheepishly, "So, anyway... I figured I should bake you an apology cake." You scratched your nose, "Ya know, for the way I've been acting as well..."

"(Y/n), you did nothing wro-"

You placed your hand up, "Neither of us is innocent in this, Leo. I should have explained things a little further instead of snapping." You took a deep breath before continuing, "The thing is, I'm not sharing information with you because I promised Donnie and Mikey I wouldn't. That's all."

Leo shifted uncomfortably. You grinned, "And before you go wringing it out of them, I promise you, it's nothing bad, just personal."

Sighing with resignation, Leo looked at you and smiled, "Alright. I get it." Peeking around to the stove, he asked, "So, what's this apology cake you spoke of?"

Your eyes lit up, "It's a carrot cake." You fidgeted, suddenly nervous. "I wasn't sure what you liked, but..." with a spatula, you swiped along the inside of the mixing bowl, taking a generous helping of the cream cheese frosting, "...do you wanna try a bite- AH! Shoot!" The sample began to slide off the spatula, but before it hit the ground, you quickly caught it in your outstretched hand.

Leo laughed, "Good save!"

You grinned and laughed with embarrassment, "Ugh! Sorry, I'll get you another bite."

Shaking his head, he chuckled, "No need." Gently, he grasped your wrist and pulled your hand to his mouth. Your breath caught as his tongue slowly slipped along your skin, quivering at the sweet tickling sensation that traveled across your palm.

Leo's other hand skimmed maddeningly slow around your waist as he pulled you closer. His tongue continued to ravish you, covering every inch it could and more.

"L-Leo... I think you got it all..." you squirmed.

He whispered huskily, his breath hot against the wetness of your palm, "Not yet." His lips encased your fingers one by one as he diligently sucked the frosting off each member, earning him a pleasure-filled gasp that accidentally tumbled from your lips.

Leo's body stiffened at the sound. _What am I doing!?_

He immediately released you, stumbling back slightly, "S-sorry I..."

The two of you blushed madly, unable to look at each other for the next few seconds. The turtle groaned, _Ugh, what am I doing? We just made up, and I'm already acting like a complete weirdo around her._

He peered down at your flushed cheeks and felt his heart constrict. _What is happening to me?_

Hoping to break the tensions, Leo chuckled awkwardly, scratching the back of his head as he mumbled, "Um, I g-guess you can say I like it."

You stuttered, half panting, "Y-you do?"

He nodded, "Yeah," His adam's apple bobbed slightly, "I like it a lot..."

His eyes found yours, two dark pools that held you captive, sucking the breath from your lungs.

_He's talking about the frosting, right? Right?!_

Your stomach twisted upon itself. The heat in your cheeks half ready to spontaneously combust.

Leo wasn't used to this at all. He'd trained his whole life to be entirely in control of his emotions. But around you, his capacity to reason through anything seemed to get tossed out the window. His fingers twitched, yearning to gather you in his arms again, to feel your warmth pressed against him. He refrained, not wanting to destroy the friendship that had just moments ago been repaired.

Your words tumbled out drunkenly, your voice sticking to your throat like the scratch of cotton candy, "W-would you, um... like some, um...?" You looked up at him, hoping he'd understand what you couldn't seem to articulate.

He grinned, "Yeah, I'd love some cake."


	14. Chapter 14

The tightness in your chest remained, even after Leo moved away towards the table.

You turned, hoping to hide the glow of your cheeks by busying yourself with cutting a slice of cake, "I wasn't expecting you back so early. N-not that I mind or anything!" You tucked a strand behind your ear nervously, ignoring how the flour in your hair sprinkled across your shoulder. "Did something happen?"

Leo stiffened.

"Oh! Well, I...uh..."

When he didn't continue, you glanced over your shoulder, unsure why his face seemed to scrunch in frustration.

He wrestled with his thoughts. What could he say? His desire to come to some form of reconciliation with you had been so great that he even cut his conversation with Karai shor-

_Karai..._

He sprang out of his seat, the swift motion causing the chair to fall backward, making you jump.

 _Oh my gosh, Karai!!_ His heart dropped as he groaned into his hands, "Oh no. No, no, no! What've I done!? This is bad! This is really, really bad! She's never going to talk to me again!!"

"...Who?" It wasn't really a question, you already had an idea of who he was referring to.

Leo raked his hands over his smooth head, grimacing as her name left his lips, "Karai."

Your face flinched. _Yeah, I kinda figured..._

He rested his hands on the table and let out a heavy, defeated sigh, "Awe man (Y/n), I messed up. Big time. I can't believe I blew her off like that." He shook his head, "I've _never_ done that before."

Your mouth felt dry, and the plate in your hand suddenly seemed too heavy to hold. You gripped the edge of the dish tightly. What was your problem? This was precisely what you promised to help him with.

_I've done this a million times with friends at school, this is no different. Just another case of a friend helping a friend. End of story. Move on._

Still, something uncomfortable continued to gnaw at the pit of your stomach. Taking a deep breath, you shook your head and put on your best supportive face. This was no time to be self-focused, there was a love-struck turtle who needed your help.

Resting your hand over one of his, you smiled as he looked over at you, distress plainly written across his handsome features. _Ugh, my heart! Don't look at me that way! It's making this so much harder!_

You took in a steady breath, "Leo, listen, it's going to be ok."

He stood, pulling his hand from beneath yours and pacing the room, "You don't know that. After what I said... or rather, did... even _I_ wouldn't forgive me."

You watched as Leo's thoughts seemed to spin out of control. Each second allowing him more time to mount an endless pile of shame upon his conscience. Stepping in front of him, you took hold of his face, "Leo, look at me." His eyes swam, unfocused, and worried. "Tell me what happened."

The roles were suddenly reversed, he realized. Now _he_ was in a position of not wanting to reveal everything to you. If he did, he'd have to explain how the thought of you curled up in Raph's arms made him want to explode. Which he did, but that rage was, unfortunately, aimed at Karai.

He fidgeted uncomfortably.

You didn't understand what he was having so much trouble explaining. Was his conversation with Karai really that bad? He seemed so... tense.

With a sharp breath, he abruptly took a step back, turning as he scratched the back of his neck nervously, "It's not necessarily important _all_ of the details... but..." Sighing, he faced you again, "She seemed... more... interested, than usual."

You cocked your head to the side, "Interested, how?"

He bit his lip as he thought over his and Karai's interaction, a slight blush on his cheeks. "The way she talked to me and..." His hand went to his neck, trailing where her fingers had been, "...maybe the way she touched me. She's never touched me like that before..."

Your cheeks colored slightly as you took a step back.

His eyes widened, seeing the color in your face increase. He waved his hands in front of himself, frantically, "D-don't misunderstand! We didn't do anything!"

"I-I didn't think you did!!" You protested, hands clenched as your skin continued to garner more heat.

Leo sputtered, "T-then, would you s-stop looking so embarrassed about the situation!"

"I'm not embarrassed! You are!" You insisted.

You turned away from each other; you fanning your face while he wiped the sweat from his brow.

The awkward silence hung like a wet blanket until finally, you cleared your throat. You ran a hand nervously up and down your arm as you asked, "So, um, what'd Karai say?"

Still unable to face you, Leo scuffed the floor with his foot, picking at the small debris before answering, "Part of it was just our typical banter. Me trying to get her to join us, and her insisting I 'free myself' and join their gang of miscreants..." He huffs in annoyance.

You folded your arms across your chest, "She sounds like a ball of laughs."

He chuckled, giving a quick glance over his shoulder at you, "Don't go all Raph on me now, please."

A grin tugged at your lips before you turned, shrugging apologetically, "Sorry, I shouldn't judge since I don't know her." You tentatively asked, "But... you would never leave your brothers, would you?"

The question made Leo whip around with a start, "No! Of course not!"

Your eyes widened at the resolute tone of his voice. Smiling, you played with the hem of your apron as you mumbled shyly, "Oh, well, I'm glad to hear that." He looked surprised, and you quickly tried to rectify your statement, "B-because, ya know, the lair would feel much more lonely without you here. And the guys would miss you..."

He raised an eye ridge teasingly, a cute smirk forming on his lips, "Just the guys?"

Your heart slammed against your chest painfully as he looked at you expectantly. Dangit, he knew what you meant. Was he really going to make you say it??

You cast an irritated glance in his direction and mumbled, "O-of course, I might also miss you. A little bit."

He grinned down at you victoriously, the edges of his eyes crinkling just the way you loved. Taking your hand, he kissed the tops of your knuckles softly, "(Y/n), I'd never leave my family..." His eyes didn't waver as he added, "...or you."

You gulped beneath the intensity of his gaze. _Breathe (Y/n). BREATHE!_

Before you could respond, Leo dropped your hand, but the tingling sensation remained alive, dancing on your skin.

He sat back down, sighing to himself, "My mind was kind of elsewhere when Karai appeared." His lip worked thoughtfully between his teeth, evaluating his next words carefully, "(Y/n), to tell the truth, I... I didn't like how I left things between us. All I could think about was getting home to apologize to you and, well, because of that, I basically blew Karai off and left."

A part of you grinned, hearing that getting home to make amends with you superseded his personal feelings towards Karai. "Leo, I think you're overreacting. Nothing of what you've told me would make her not forgive you. She might be a bit confused, yes. But I'm sure if you just explain yourself, she'll understand. We all have our bad days."

He glanced sideways at you, a sliver of hope in his eyes, "You really think so? She's pretty bullheaded."

You grinned, bumping his shoulder, teasingly, "As bullheaded as me?"

He chuckled, roughly rubbing the top of your head, "It's different. You're just my little pocket of trouble. She's..." He paused, concern etching itself across his face, "...she's _actual_ trouble."

For the life of you, you couldn't understand what he saw in her. Maybe he was just into bad girls? How unfortunate. You sighed inwardly.

His lips quirked into a sad grin, "The guys don't really like her, either."

You patted his shoulder, reassuringly, "I'm sure they'll come around."

He huffed, fidgeting uneasily in his seat, "Yeah, maybe..."

You hated seeing him like this. Toying with his plate of cake, your face suddenly broke out into a mischievous grin. Straightening, you sauntered closer to the leader, discreetly concealing the dessert behind your back, "In the meantime, why don't you... ENJOY YOUR APOLOGY CAKE!" Leo looked up at precisely the same time you stretched your hand out and smooshed the cake into his face.

A piece dripped off, exposing Leo's unamused expression. He scowled at you, "Seriously?!?! You just wasted a perfectly good piece of cake!"

You laughed at his sour expression, "Oh, I'm sorry, I _was_ aiming for your mouth. Guess I missed. Here let me help you clean it off!" Your other hand came swinging around with a full load of cream cheese frosting in it. Leo caught your wrist, but the momentum was already too fast. The icing shot out like a slingshot, hitting the side of his face with a loud, wet smack. A snort escaped your nose as you watched the white, creamy substance slide down his emerald-green skin.

Slowly, Leo rose from his seat, his anxious look replaced with a playful grin. His tongue slid across his lips, and your eyes shamefully traveled with it as he licked the batter away. He smirked, "I see you haven't faced a ninja in the art of food fighting. Watch and learn, young grasshopper." Faster than what should be humanly possible, Leo swiped the mixture of frosting and cake off his face and proceeded to squish the goopy mess against your cheeks.

The cake splattered over your skin, peppering your hair with white and brown flecks as Leo held your face in a position that puffed out your lips like a guppy fish. "Thath cheading!!!" You complained.

He giggled, a sound that was music to your ears. "All is fair in love and the art of ninja food wars."

Wiggling out of his grasp, you laughed, "Oh yeah!? Well, it is ON ninja-man!"

You both rushed the counter, trying to get there before the other. Leo ripped the bag of flour from your reach. Ducking, you screamed and giggled as he flung handfuls of powder at you. Not to be outdone, you grabbed the carton of eggs and began chucking them in his direction. His chest soon became a canvas of eggshells and snotty liquid.

"Ahhh gross!!!" He cried.

Looking around frantically, Leo quickly picked up a chopping board and used it to shield himself from your onslaught of yolk bombs. He charged at you through the maelstrom of eggs being pelted against him. Squealing, you dropped the carton and tried to dodge, but he was too quick. Throwing the chopping board aside, Leo grabbed your waist and pulled you towards him as he lifted you into the air, "A-ha, gotcha!"

Laughing, you playfully squirmed in his grasp before admitting defeat. Your arms wrapped around his neck as he carefully set you back on the ground. His forehead leaned against yours as the two of you giggled, trying to regain control of your breathing.

"And now..." Leo grinned teasingly, his voice soft and sultry as he slipped his finger beneath your chin, "...you're my war prisoner."

As his gaze held yours, the air suddenly felt denser. Neither of you seemed to be able to tear your eyes away.

You swallowed thickly, afraid to move, afraid to breathe, lest the spell be broken. Leo was close... and really, you didn't want him to leave. You would have gladly become his prisoner, food war, or not. Your hands softly fell from behind his head, down his neck. His breath caught, and you felt the slight shudder of his body, but he didn't pull away. In fact, he seemed to lean almost imperceptibly closer. You had only to tilt your head up, and...

 ***Ahem*** Someone cleared their throat from behind.

Both of you jumped.

Donnie and Mikey stood in the doorway. A smug grin painted on the purple turtles face as he inquired, "And what do we have here?"

Leo released his hold on you; cake and yolk dripped from his body as he grinned sheepishly between you and his brothers. "Uhhh.... we were making a cake?" He offered up the (thankfully) unharmed portion of cake that you had yet to frost.

You laughed awkwardly. _Dang, that was close!_ Wiping the flour and debris from your face, you asked, "Do you guys want a slice?"

Donnie eyed the cake skeptically as he looked at the state of the kitchen, "I dunno... do we?"

Mikey sniffed it curiously, "What is this?!"

"It's a carrot cake! Lemme just finish putting the frosting on!"

The boys sat down and waited for you to complete this mystery food item. Serving them each a slice, you waited in anxious anticipation for the final verdict. As the first bite passed their lips, you noted how their adorable turtle faces seemed to morph into expressions of pure bliss.

"Please don't ever leave us." Mikey hummed as he munched on his slice.

Donnie nodded his head in agreement, "Your culinary skills are really quite impressive, (y/n)!"

"Awe stop it, guys! You're gonna make me blush." Giggling, you turned and began cleaning up the kitchen.

"Hey, don't worry about cleaning up." Leo came over and rested his hand on yours. "I'll do it, you've done enough just baking the cake. Thank you, by the way, it was delicious!" He grinned.

Mikey and Donnie shared a secret glance as they watched the two of you.

"It's ok! I don't mind cleaning up!" You tried to object.

Leo chuckled, swiping some frosting from your cheek, "Why don't you go take a shower? I got this, it's really the least I can do."

You looked down at your body, half-covered in flour. Smiling with resignation, you nodded, "Ok. I'll take you up on that. Thanks, Leo!"

Leo grinned as he watched your figure retreat to his room, a small, happy sigh escaping his lips. Turning, he was momentarily caught off guard by the two Cheshire Cat grins staring back at him. Mikey was the first to break the silence. "Sooooooooooo? I take it you two made up?"

Leo blushed, fidgeting on the spot, "Y-Yeah... I guess we did." He looked at the two of them apologetically, "Hey, look, I'm - I'm sorry for my behavior the past couple of days. It's inexcusable, I know."

Donnie waved away Leo's apology, "It's fine, it's fine." He played with a crumb on his plate as he gently broached his next question, "Um, so, what did you guys talk about then?"

Leo's face reflexively scowled before melting into tired resignation. He shook his head and sighed, "Don't worry, whatever it is you guys asked her to keep secret, she didn't say anything." He could see both of his brothers visibly relax at this news. Leo glared at them, still somewhat irritated he didn't know what was going on, but he made a promise to respect your privacy, and he was going to keep it.

 _Just let it go, Leo, just let it go.._. He turned back to the mess you guys had created and started cleaning.

* * *

Weird fact, cream cheese frosting is shockingly hard to rinse out of your hair. Where it touched, it left an odd, greasy film. After some vigorous scrubbing, and some choice words, you were able to remove it. However, the process took much longer than you expected.

As you let the water rush over you, your eyes idly dropped to your hand. You could still feel how his tongue had run over it, teasing the electricity from your body. _And his lips..._ You blushed. Those lips should be illegal. Shaking your head, you smacked your cheeks, "Get a grip, lady!" You needed to get out, you'd already stayed in the shower far too long as it was. _Leo's going to think I died in here._

The music blared from your phone as you stepped out of the shower to dry yourself off. You popped your earbuds in, preferring the robust sound that came from them over the phone's less than optimal speakers. Quickly slipping on your underwear and shorts, you plugged your earbuds in and placed your phone in the back of your pocket as you continued to get dressed. Bobbing your head to the beat, you rummaged around in your pile of clothes.

_Ugh, this always happens, where the heck did my bra go?!_

* * *

~ meanwhile, outside the bathroom ~

Leo tentatively cracked open the door to his bedroom. He called out before entering "(y/n)? Are you decent?"

No answer.

He hesitated, "Um, e-excuse me? Do you mind if I come in?" When there was still no response, he poked his head inside. He listened carefully, noting that the shower wasn't running. "(Y/n)?" He looked around before standing in front of the decorative wall mat that separated his room from the bathroom. "Hellooo? (Y/n)?" When there was still no response, he began to wonder if you'd already left. He shrugged, _guess I should get cleaned off as well._ He drew back the mat and froze.

Half of your body could be seen bent over the side of the toilet, fishing for something. But what stopped Leo in his tracks was the sight of your naked back wholly exposed to him. Though turned away from him, when you finally stood up, he could tell you were holding a black lacy bra in your hand.

Oblivious to his presence, you began snapping the straps in place, swinging your hips to the beat of whatever tunes you were listening to. Your hair clung to your skin, trickling fresh beads of water down your spine. The droplets continued down, pooling at the small of your back before breaking away over gyrating hips.

Leo watched, hypnotized as your fingers skimmed across your skin, blindly searching for your bra's loops. He noted the cute scattering of moles on your back, they shifted as your shoulders flexed and your back arched, accommodating the odd positioning it took to reach behind you. When you'd finally clasped everything together, you slid your fingers along your arms, pulling the straps up over your shoulders. Leo flinched as the bands snapped against your damp flesh. He gulped, knowing he should look away, yet lacking the will to do so.

When you finally turned around, you realized there was somebody else present in the bathroom with you.

You stopped, stuck in a mental stare-down with the blue bandana turtle as you registered your situation. Leo's blood turned to ice as he realized what this probably looked like to you. His face instantly flushed a red he didn't even know he was capable of.

Frantically, he began waving his hands in front of him, "I... I'm so sorry!!! I called, and you didn't answer s-so I thought you were gone!!! I didn't do it on purpose, I promise!!!" It was then that he noticed your earbuds were in, and he realized you couldn't hear a single word he was saying. He looked at your face, a vivid scarlet flashed across your cheeks while your eyes flickered between complete embarrassment and utter rage. You picked up a heavy box of toiletries, your barely concealed chest heaving with righteous indignation as you glared straight at him.

"GET...."

He fearfully eyed the bulky container, "N-now just hold on-"

"OUT!!!!!!"

Before he could finish, you hurled the box at him, your aim true as it hit him square in the face. The impact catapulted his body backward, sending him flying past the dividing mat.

"AND STAY OUT YOU PERV!!!" You shouted after him. As your anger subsided, your body collapsed to the floor in a heap, chest heaving with anxiety. If he'd come in any sooner... You buried your face in your hands, blushing a furious red at the thought.

* * *

~ back in the kitchen ~

Mikey and Donnie had continued demolishing the cake when Leo dejectedly shuffled back in. They looked up at him in surprise.

"Weren't you going to go take a shower, bro?" Mikey asked.

Head hung low, he pulled up a chair beside his brothers and heaved a heavy sigh. He let his body weight drag him down and face-plant his forehead onto the table.

"When am I gonna catch a break?" He mumbled.


	15. Chapter 15

Leo swung his legs over the ledge of an abandoned building, moving them freely back and forth as he cast his eyes out upon the city. The people below scurried past each other, eyes focused on brightly lit phones as they bumped and muscled their way through the throngs of bodies without apology. Sometimes, Leo wondered about the people he and his family protected. Experience taught him that over half the time, people needed rescuing because of their own greed and misconduct. The better half of him, (the part that Splinter raised) argued that there was always _some_ good in people. Somewhere. Even if it was hard to find. Thus, everyone deserved a chance.

He settled his chin on his hand in thought.

It was this hope and this hope alone that made him _want_ to believe Karai could still be saved. That she was capable of change.

He had hoped to be part of that change, but, after yesterday's encounter, he wasn't so sure he'd get the chance now. The wind blew against his skin, swallowing the sigh that escaped his lips.

"Oh my. Such a long face." A woman's silky voice purred from behind.

Leo tensed.

A lean figure landed beside him with all the grace of a panther, eyes shining bright and deadly, "Hello, Leonardo."

"K-Karai!!" Once his shock gave way, the leader's face brightened.

"In the flesh." She smirked, regarding him cooly as she rested a hand on her hip.

Leo's fingers tightened on the ledge. What was Karai doing here? Had she... Had she come looking for him? Or was that too much to hope for?

...Probably.

Either way, this was an unexpected chance to rectify his past behavior. He thought back to what you said yesterday, praying you were right about her being understanding.

He studied her, she didn't seem all that upset. Then again, Karai was always a hard read, unlike you, who seemed to openly wear your emotions on your face, whether you knew it or not. The thought made him grin.

Karai narrowed her eyes, "Something funny?"

He shook his head, ridding his thoughts of you, "Oh, no. Sorry. I'm just glad I got the chance to see you again." He stood, turning to face her, his face one of contrition, "Um, about yesterday... I wanted to apologize for the way I treated you."

She let the silence hang, knowing it made him squirm with apprehension. Her voice slipped past her lips, words ladened with syrupy sweet poison, "Oh? Are you perhaps referring to when you brushed me off and left me on my own?" Leo flinched. His pained expression pleased her. She drawled, "Now, why on earth would I be upset over a thing like that?"

"Karai, I-" He took a step towards her, unfazed when a blade quickly appeared at his throat. He sighed, "-I know you must be upset, and you have every right to be. Unfortunately, you caught me while I was dealing with some... family issues. I took it out on you, and that wasn't fair." He shifted the tip of her sword away, bowing low as he apologized, "And for that, I am truly sorry."

She looked on with disinterest at his lowered form and sighed. _How boring._

The silence was deafening, and Leo felt himself gulp with anxious anticipation, waiting for her answer. "If there is anything I can do to make amends, please, tell me." He looked up, "I never intended to hurt you."

"Hurt me?" She giggled in disbelief, "Oh, Leonardo, I love that you believe your actions somehow affect me. Rest assured, I lost no sleep over it, or you, for that matter." His shoulders slumped ever so slightly, something that did not slip by unnoticed. Karai's face lit up with cruel glee, "Oh, but what to do, you look so utterly devastated by the whole thing. I _suppose_ if it would make you feel better, I could think up something to compensate for your rude behavior."

His eyes widened hopefully before quickly narrowing with suspicion, "Before you say anything, no, I will not join your Foot gang. And no, I will not do something that involves criminal activity."

Karai rolled her eyes, "Killjoy."

Leo grinned at her, sadly, "Be reasonable."

"Be fun." She retorted.

"I _am_ fun!" (I think...?) His brothers would probably beg to differ, but...

He held back a grin. (Y/n) seemed to enjoy his company, at least. As soon as the thought crossed his mind, he shook his head. _This is not the time, Leo!_

Karai turned and began walking away, "I guess I'll just have to wait and see in what manner you intend to show me how sorry you really are."

Leo blinked, "Show you? But... H-Hey, wait!"

She glanced back at him from over her shoulder.

He tapped his fingers against each other, nervously, "I-I mean, don't I get a hint or something?"

A wicked grin spread across Karai's lips, taking pleasure in the way he seemed to fret over the situation, "Sure."

His ears perked.

"It has to be something that pushes you outside of your comfort zone."

"Outside my comfort zone? What does that mean? I already told you I'm not doing anything illegal."

She turned and slid a hand down his chest before tugging him closer. Her familiar smell intoxicated his senses. His face reddened as her lips whispered against his, "I can think of many _other_ things that would make you uncomfortable." Her finger stroked along the side of his throat, causing him to gulp.

"U-um..."

She pushed him away, satisfied with how he was beginning to sweat. "Just how far will you go for me, my dear, honorable Leonardo - I'm curious to find out." And with that, she turned to leave again.

Scratching his head in confusion, Leo watched as her dark figure slipped away along the city rooftops.

_...I... I don't understand._

* * *

Even after he returned to the lair, Leo's mind continued to churn over his conversation with Karai. Such an odd request, he couldn't make heads or tails of it.

"What seems to be troubling you, my son?" Leo jumped at the sound of his master's voice behind him.

"Sensei!" He scratched the back of his head shyly as he looked down warmly at his aging father, "It's nothing sensei, just stuff running through my mind." He smiled, trying to reassure him.

The rat's keen eyes regarded his son, noting the tenseness of his body. A mellow scent wafted gently from Leonardo's body. The smell of smoke powder and poison; essential items of a Kunoichi. Karai... Miwa.

"Did you... encounter someone?" He asked carefully.

Leo's eyes flashed. Those pure, untainted blue eyes that told Splinter everything he needed to know. The leader's mouth opened and closed as if trying to say something but quickly snapped shut.

Splinter sighed. Though he did not wish to pry, he felt it necessary, seeing the look his son came home with, "Leonardo-"

Suddenly, the kitchen erupted with riotous laughter, causing both of them to turn their attention.

Leonardo could hear you through bouts of hysterics, "Raph, don't cheat! You gotta (* **snort** * - ahahahaha!) you gotta stuff 'em all in!"

A genuine smile began to spread across the leader's face, which soon broke into giggles at the sound of your happy snorts. He covered his mouth, trying to suppress the laughter that was begging to be let free. _She is seriously way too cute._

"Wait!! I gotta get my camera!!" Soon, clicks could be heard, followed by more wheezing.

Leo rubbed the back of his head, cheeks puffed from grinning so hard as he sighed beneath his breath, "What am I going to do with you, Trouble?"

Splinter sent a sideways glance towards his son, watching the tension from his body slowly unwind. His previous anxious expression washed away with a carefree smile. The old rat's lips twitched slightly, a knowing smirk growing as he cleared his throat.

"Leonardo, if I may be so bold," His son looked at him, ready to accept his words of wisdom. "It is easy to be ensnared in the darkness of others, but to find someone that sheds light upon your life, is truly a gift that should not be overlooked."

Leo looked at his master, confused, "Sensei?"

The rat chuckled, stroking his beard wisely. He walked away after giving his son a knowing sideways smile, "It is simply food for thought."

Leo tilted his head, _everyone is just full of encrypted messages today._

He walked towards the kitchen, eyes widening at the sight of Mikey and Raph sitting at the table, their mouths stuffed to the brim with giant marshmallows. Drool had begun trickling down Raph's chin as he held the puffy masses in his mouth. It was apparent that he was struggling to maintain his composure.

You were over to the side, holding your middle with barely contained laughter. Leo couldn't blame you, Raph with chipmunk cheeks was kind of the best thing ever.

"Number Thirty-Two!" You held up a marshmallow that Mikey eyed with glee, and caused Raph to sweat profusely. Handing the youngest his marshmallow, he stuffed it into his mouth with ease, muffling, "t-hubby bunn-ay!"

"ALRIGHT!!" You high-fived him triumphantly. "Aight Donnie, your turn!"

Donnie looked down upon Raph, who was shaking his head vigorously no. "C'mon Raph! It's just one more." Donnie tried shoving the marshmallow at him, but Raph swatted it away. "Stop being such a big baby. Do you want to wear those _hideous_ things while on patrol?? Now, just relax those whomping jaw muscles of yours." Cupping the back of Raph's head to prevent him from moving, Donnie quickly shoved the marshmallow into his brother's mouth, eliciting a small "umpf!" from the red-banded turtle. His eyes began watering, knowing he was at his limits, "w-wumbby b-b-"

Donnie clenched his fists, "C'mon buddy, you can do it!!"

Raph's eyes were practically bulging from his face. You squealed and smacked Mikey on the shoulder, "Here it comes!! Oh, the camera! The camera!!"

The color in his face became increasingly red, until -

* **Click** *

You caught the exact moment Raph could no longer hold it in. As marshmallow puffs spewed everywhere, you tried to bob and weave the slimy white balls shooting towards you. When it was all over, Raph heaved, taking large gasps of air as his face planted itself on the table.

Mikey stood up victoriously while somehow managing to gulp down his entire mouthful of marshmallows. "Yeah, son! You can't beat this King of the Chubby Bunnies!!"

"Mikey! Did you seriously just swallow all of your marshmallows?! Don't blame me if you suddenly get a sugar rush." you laughed at him.

Mikey wiggled his eye ridge, pulling you closer as he cooed, "I'm a sugar _bomb_ , baby. You wanna give me a lil' more to add to my sweetness?" He made a smoochy face, lowering his lips towards you. Leo tensed momentarily before chiding himself: _Stop overreacting, he's just playing._

You laughed, putting a hand on Mikey's face and shoving him away, "Very funny! You're sweet enough as it is, and you know it."

He grinned, unfazed by the refusal, "Awe shucks babycakes, you're gonna make me blush." He winked at you flirtatiously.

Rolling your eyes, you looked back at Donnie and an utterly exhausted Raph, "As promised, here are the bunny ears you have to wear for the remainder of the day."

Donnie groaned as he put on his ears, one ear flopping down slightly. Raph didn't even have the strength to fight back as you placed the pink bunny ears on his head.

Unable to hold back anymore, Leo burst out laughing at the sight of his two brothers. Raph's face reddened as he shot up out of his chair, "J-Just shut it, Leo!!" It was no use; between Raph's embarrassment and the ridiculous rabbit ears perched upon his head, Leo was thrown into an even bigger fit of laughter.

You chimed in, "I have to say, I _am_ a little surprised you didn't win, considering what a big mouth you have." The others "ooooo"d and doubled over in laughter. Raph marched over to you and ground your head between his knuckles, "Wanna repeat that again, pipsqueak?!"

"Ah!! Hahahaha, I'm sorry! I'm sorry!! Hahaha!" You squirmed against his rough treatment. Raph let you go and sat down with a huff.

You swiveled over to the stove and brought back a plateful of chocolate chip cookies, "Here you guys go! A reward for playing the Chubby Bunny game with me!"

If it was possible, Raph's face took on a different shade of green as he bolted from the table, holding his mouth so he wouldn't explode on the spot.

Mikey shook his head in disappointment, "Man, what weak-sauce! Can't even handle a little after game snack."

You grinned sheepishly, "Awe, sorry. I didn't think that it might make him queazy after all the marshmallows."

Mikey patted you on the shoulder reassuringly, "Don't worry about it, angel, just means there's more for us!"

The four of you sat at the cleaner end of the table, munching on the warm gooey cookies. Leo plopped down beside you, ruffling your hair as he looked at you adoringly. You'd so quickly become an essential part of their family, he couldn't imagine the lair without you anymore.

You smiled up at him, "Welcome home, Leo!"

He grinned from ear to ear, his heart filled with warmth as he nodded, "Thanks, it's good to be home."

Raph toddled back in, opening the fridge for a bottle of water. Leo looked at him mischievously, nudging you for your camera.

"Hey, Raph!" Leo called.

"Huh?" The hot-headed turtle turned at the sound of his name, his bunny ears slightly flopping.

* **Click** *

The bright flash captured Raph's frozen, mortified expression. His water bottle slowly crinkled and cracked in his hand as he bellowed, "I'M GONNA RIP YOUR FACE OFF!"

Leo laughed, taunting him with a wave of the camera before bolting from the room, an enraged Raph close on his heels.

"Five bucks says Raph catches him and makes him wear the bunny ears instead." Mikey nudges his brother.

Donnie grinned, "I'll take that bet."

You rolled your eyes and giggled. There was no way Raph could catch Leo...


	16. Chapter 16

A grin tugged at the corner of your lips as your hand played between two pink bunny ears. The soft, fluffy fabric a stark contrast to the grooved, leathery skin beneath it. Your eyebrow twitched inquiringly at the turtle lying on your lap, "Was it worth it?"

Two sharp blue eyes twinkled mischievously as the leader smirked, gently rubbing the bruise manifesting atop his head, "I can honestly say I have no regrets. Speaking of, can I look at it again?" Handing the camera over, you felt strangely giddy at the boyish grin spreading across the turtle's usually stoic face.

Leo studied the image fondly, expelling a small chuckle. The look of shock on his brother's gloriously red face was priceless, definitely worth the lump. "I gotta print this out."

 _Awe, that's sweet; he wants a photo of Raph! Brotherly love is so adorable_.

His eyes flicked towards you as if reading your thoughts, "For blackmail purposes."

Your illusion crumbled, "Leo! You wouldn't!"

The grin on his face only broadened as he handed the camera back, "Being the leader means understanding and utilizing _all_ your opponents' strengths and weaknesses. _Especially_ if that opponent happens to be your brother."

You shook your head -- _guess even the mature leader has his childish moments_. "Something tells me he's not going to live this down anytime soon." The image flipped to Raph spewing marshmallows everywhere. Laughter bubbled in the back of your throat, Leo smiled warmly at the sound.

Catching his affectionate gaze, you blushed, "W-what is it?"

His eyes widened, a shy glow coloring the dark green of his cheeks. Stuttering, he looked away, "N-Nothing!"

His teeth worked his lower lip nervously, hands drumming against his abdomen, unsure of what to do with themselves amidst the awkward silence. The butterflies in your stomach only seemed to increase the more adorably flustered he became. -- _This insane amount of cuteness will be the death of me one day._

Pushing aside the odd jitters, you settled back against the wall, relaxing on Leo's bed, enjoying how he substituted your lap for a pillow. Removing the bunny-ear headband, you gently stroked the top of his head.

His body stiffened. Hesitantly, you asked, "Sorry, is it too sore?"

"No, it's not that. I just..." He cleared his throat softly, " I've never - or rather, no one's ever petted me before."

Your chest tightened -- _so, you were the first to touch him like this._ A feeling that you couldn't describe began spreading throughout your body.

"Does it feel weird? I can stop-" You pulled your hand away, but Leo was quick to catch your wrist.

"No, please, I-" He looked intently at you, "I didn't mean it like that. It... It feels nice." He bit his lip, bashfully, "Um, if it's alright with you, I wouldn't mind if you continued..."

If his face reddened any further, you were sure he would explode.

Smiling, you continued to stroke the pleasant curvature of his head, and gradually, you felt his body relax. Leo's fingers traced a line across the arm you'd placed over his chest as if reciprocating the contact.

Taking a sharp breath, you tried to distract yourself from the way his touch made you feel. Unfortunately, the topic that needed addressing was far from pleasant, "So, um, g-getting back to the matter at hand... you mentioned something about Karai asking you to go outside of your comfort zone?"

He blinked as if drawing himself back to the conversation, "Oh- Uh, right. Within reason, of course."

"What does that mean?"

He huffed, "It means, no illegal things, and nothing to do with my joining her gang."

You nodded, trying to understand. "Well, what else would you consider outside your range of comfort?"

Leo thought for a moment, "I don't know. I guess there are numerous things, but I'm not sure they're what she's looking for."

"Like what?"

His face scowled, "Like, operating the toaster."

"Pffft!" Your body rippled with laughter, thinking it was a joke, but soon realized he was dead serious. "The toaster?! Seriously?!"

Leo nodded irritably, the mere thought of that untrustworthy, electronic heap of garbage brought a fresh scowl to his face. "Yes." His hands balled into fists, "It doesn't like me. No matter what I try, it always burns my toast. Last time it threw a piece of toast in my face!"

"Were you looking over it?"

"Well, yes." He grumbled admittedly, "But it was taking so long! I just wanted to see if it was almost done!"

You held your breath, hoping to save yourself from laughing out loud again, a struggle that soon brought tears to your eyes as it became increasingly harder to maintain your regular breathing pattern. Who would have thought, the mighty leader brought low by a simple kitchen appliance. 

He shifted restlessly, obviously wanting to move on from the somewhat embarrassing topic. "Anyway, when I asked for a clue, Karai said she could think of _other_ things that would make me uncomfortable. But-"

"But?" You quirked an eyebrow.

His face contorted with confusion, "It was the _way_ she said it. I mean, we were so close, close enough to..." He blushed, his throat bobbing with the effort to swallow, "k-kiss."

Unconsciously, your hand stopped its methodic stroking of his head, your fingers suddenly too numb to move.

Why were you so surprised? Obviously, they would, at some point kiss, if everything worked according to plan. So why did the idea not sit well with you? You shook your head, realizing how selfish you must sound. This was about Leo and his relationship with Karai. Whatever weird emotion trying to bubble up inside was quickly squashed back down into its rightful place.

_Shake it off, girl._

Pushing past the subtle pinprick jabbing into your heart, you offered, "Maybe she's looking for you to take the initiative?" You looked into his questioning eyes and wondered, "Leo, have you ever tried flirting with her?"

His face colored. "F-Flirting???? No! Of-of course not!" he crossed his arms and averted his gaze.

You scowled at him, "What do you mean, 'Of course not'?? That's what people do when they like someone, silly!" You flicked him on the forehead.

"Ow! Hey!" Leo sat up, slightly disgruntled as he rubbed the offending spot, "Don't you think my head's been through enough this evening?"

You laughed, "Your injury from Raph was self-inflicted, so don't expect any sympathy from me."

He rolled his eyes and huffed good-naturedly, "Yeah, yeah."

"You're avoiding the topic."

Leo looked to the ground, thumbs twiddling against each other as he murmured, "Look, flirting's not... it's not something I'm especially good at." His shoulders drooped.

_You begged to differ, but ok._

"And besides, it's not just that. I also don't want to be disrespectful by pushing my feelings on Karai if she doesn't feel the same way."

Your heart clenched. _Gah! Why does he have to be so flipping pure!?_ You were sure she liked him. How could she not? Even now, as he sat beside you, looking like a rejected pound puppy, you wanted to wrap your arms around him and squeeze him to -- _Ok. Calm down, self. Let's not get carried away._

Taking a deep breath, you patted his shoulder, encouragingly, "I hear what you're saying, but you can be respectful while also letting her know you're interested." He glanced at you, looking less than convinced. You wagged a finger at him and scolded, "But you'll never get anywhere if you don't try."

He groaned. "I just get so tongue-tied when I'm around her."

You rolled your eyes and slapped his shoulder, prompting him to face you, "Alright, fine then. We can practice together."

Leo sputtered, his eyes widening with shock, "What!? No!"

_Ouch! You could at least *pretend* to think about it before shooting the idea down! Spare a girl her feelings, man!_

Unwilling to give up so quickly, though, you shot back, "And why not? At least this way, you'd be doing it with someone you're comfortable with. And with me, you have nothing to lose." Oddly, it hurt to say that, even though it was true.

Hesitantly, he rubbed the back of his neck, "I-It's not the same, though. I mean, you're..." He looked back at you, a flash of confusion crossed his handsome face, so fast you thought you'd imagined it. He cleared his throat, "...you're like family. Don't you think it would be kind of weird -- doing something together like this?"

You crossed your arms and huffed, "Well, I _didn't_ feel weird about it until _now!_ It's not like we're gonna get all hot n' heavy with each other, ya know!"

"T-That's not what I was implying!!"

You grumbled, "How are you planning on flirting with her if you don't even know what it is?"

He bristled, balling his hands defensively, "Hey! I know what it is!"

"Oh yeah?"

"Yes!" He snapped indignantly, "It's when you do... _things..._ with the person you like."

_God forbid this man should ever have to explain what sex was to his kids._

"Things?" You raised an eyebrow, "Forgive me, but what kind of 'things' are you referring to, exactly?"

Leo's face flushed, "Y-Ya know, _things_. Romantic things. Like, k-kissing and being all t-t-t-" He wanted to shrivel into a hole and die. "T-touchy-feely n'... stuff."

These were not the words of an esteemed leader, more like a prepubescent boy trying to navigate the world of cooties. Or possibly the viewpoint of someone who believed babies were created through kissing.

Trying to stifle your laughter at this oddly immature side of him, you concurred, "That can be part of it too, I guess, but flirting doesn't necessarily mean being super physical. It can be something small," You teasingly bumped your shoulder against his, "...like that."

Leo looked both perplexed and relieved. "Really? That's considered flirting too?"

You shrugged, "Well, it's the intent behind it that counts. Not everyone who bumps your shoulder is trying to get into your pants."

Leo's hands reflexively shifted over his waist, as if guarding his loins against an invisible threat. After a minute, his body relaxed, admitting sheepishly, "I guess my versions a little skewed, huh?" He grinned, suddenly the prospect less daunting than before, "What else do you know?"

You smiled, glad he seemed more receptive than before. Leo listened attentively as you gave him the rundown, a more PG version of what his romantic dalliance could look like. Figuring you could always escalate things once his and Karai's relationship became more... serious. You gagged inwardly.

"Do you see what I'm saying?"

"Yeah, I think I get the gist of it." Smiling, he looked over at you, the warmth from it making your heart race. Honestly, you were somewhat hesitant to teach him anything. He was already unknowingly quite good at flirting, and a part of you wanted for him to keep that innocence.

He took your hand, gently slipping his fingers between yours as he murmured, "Hey, um... thanks. For, ya know, helping me out. I really mean it. I probably would still be fretting over this if it weren't for you."

You grinned halfheartedly, wishing you could truthfully say it was your pleasure. Subtly, you slid your hand out from beneath his as you jokingly tried to deflect the praise, "Of course! Someone has to make sure you don't trip all over yourself in front of your lady."

He laughed, nudging your shoulder lightly with his, "Alright, very funny."

You grinned, "Ohhhh, already putting those flirty moves into use, huh?" You nudged him back teasingly.

His eyes crinkled with laughter as the two of you exchanged playful bumps and pushes. As you went in for an extra forceful shove, Leo leaned back, and you found yourself pitching forward into thin air. You let out a mild squeak before falling into the leader's strong arms as he cradled you against him.

You blinked up in surprise, "Hey! You moved!"

He smirked with amusement, "How very observant. We'll make a ninja out of you yet." Leo's eyes twinkled, their sapphire depths threatening to steal your breath away. It didn't help that the heady scent of his body seemed to stir something within you—something you desperately didn't want to acknowledge.

You tried retorting, "I don't appreciate the sass. Especially after I so dutifully helped you with these private lessons."

"Indeed, and you were such a good teacher."

You cleared your throat, "I guess that makes me your sensei then, huh?"

"I guess it does." His voice was smooth, and your ears tingled at the sound. It reverberated throughout your body, the way the string of an instrument trembled when gently plucked. It became apparent that you needed to quickly free yourself from his clutches before it became evident the effect he was having on you.

Wriggling within his grasp, you reasoned, "W-well then, as your official sensei, I think it best if you showed some respect and released me."

Leo hummed thoughtfully before casting a devious glance your way. His voice purred teasingly, "But Sensei-" You shivered, momentarily thinking it should be illegal for how sensual he made the title sound. "-wouldn't you like for me to demonstrate how much I've learned?" He swept an errant hair from your forehead, and in its wake, fireworks where his rough fingers brushed against your skin.

Of course, you would die to have him _-ahem-_ that is, you wouldn't mind seeing the fruits of your tutilage.

"(Y/n)-"

You gulped. Even your name fell like honey from his lips, and you willing let it pour over your body like liquid desire.

He traced the curvature of your jaw, capturing your chin softly between two fingers. His eyes lingered momentarily on your lips, which only seemed to make the blood rush to your face even more. He grinned, watching the color fill your cheeks. "I find you absolutely adorable when you blush like this."

"I'm-I'm not blushing!" You tensed, convinced you were on the verge of turning into a pile of ash.

"You are. And your color becomes even more beautiful when I touch you here." He drew a long line down the side of your neck. His hands fluttering just over your skin, sending a fresh, trembling wave of excitement down to your toes. "See?"

You wanted to deny it, but his eyes captured yours, and there was no escaping the blue prison that held you in place, rendering you speechless.

His expression shifted to curiosity, his tone suddenly unsure, "Am I doing ok so far?"

_....shoot. This was the demonstration?_

"...Oh, uh, f-fine, I guess?" _-Ahhhh, this sucks._

You totally got swept up in the moment, and now you felt like an idiot.

"You guess?" Leo huffed, "Well, that's not very convincing. Maybe I should try harder?"

"What!? No! No, it's ok - you pass! With flying colors. You are a rainbow of success!! I don't need to see - or f-feel any more to be convinced."

_Oh lord, please stop before I explode into a million pieces!_

He chuckled, "Ok, fine." Despite this, he didn't move to release you from his grasp.

"Um, Leo?"

"I meant it, you know." His fingers tightened their hold against your arms, bringing you closer to his body.

"Huh?" You stared at him blankly.

Leo's face flushed as he smiled at you, shyly, "I meant what I said. You really are super cute when you blush."

 _It's a trap, it has to be. He's still in demonstration mode._ You pushed on his plastron and scowled, "I told you already that you passed the test! There's no need to keep going!"

He shook his head. "I'm not joking. It's unfortunate because sometimes it makes me want to do things." His hand grazed your cheekbone, so soft it reminded you of a butterfly lighting upon a flower—a sharp contrast to the rapid pulse thrumming through your veins.

"T-Things?" You gulped. _This wasn't good. This wasn't good at all. Warning! Danger Will Robinson! Danger!_

However, you couldn't stop the physical buzz that seemed to be igniting all your senses. You squeaked as Leo's hand slid down your side. The fabric of your shirt shifting ever so slightly to reveal a teasing glimpse of skin. "Yes, it makes me want to discover other things that could make you blush so beautifully." He leaned closer, his lips tantalizing close as he whispered, "Things like...THIS!!!"

Without warning, Leo's hand shot toward your most ticklish spot, fingers wiggling back and forth as they sought to penetrate their target. Your body scrunched into a fetal position as if that could fend off this sudden attack of betrayal.

"Y-YOU BASTARD!!!" Laughing hysterically, you writhed against him, desperately fighting the relentless onslaught of tickles.

Pushing yourself free, you toppled to the ground, pulling the bedsheets with you as you landed in a pile with the effortless grace of a rhino. Your arms flailed as you battled against the endless prison of fabric, trying to crawl away from your pursuer.

"And where do you think you're going?" Leo chuckled as he grabbed your calves, pulling you back towards himself. He knelt and straddled your body, quickly resuming his ticklish assault. "We're not done talking about my lessons yet, are we? _Sen-sei?_ "

He was Satan.

Of that, you were sure.

His eyes gleamed with victory as you thrashed wildly beneath him, wheezing between bouts of hysterics, "LEO!!! P-PLEASE!!! HAHAHAHAHA!!! PLEASE STOP!!"

The leader grinned evilly as he leaned over you, "Oh, but that would be too easy. Maybe if you say, 'You did such a great job during your lessons today, Leo!' I would consider letting you go."

You could barely breathe, tears streamed down your cheeks as you gasped for air, scarcely able to form audible words, "YOU! AHAHAHA-DID SUCH-HAHAHA!! SUCH A GREAT-HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! YOU DID GREAT!!! HAHAHA PLEASE! YOU DID GREAT LEO HAHAHAHA! PLEASE LET ME GO!!!! AAAAHAHAHAHA!!!"

He continued tickling you, taking his sweet time to consider your plea, "Hmm, it's not quite what I asked for you to say, and I don't know how sincere you're being. Do you really mean it? That you think I did a good job?"

"YES!!! YES, YOU DID AMAZING BAHAHAHAHAHA!!" Your lungs begged for air.

"Are you suuuure?"

"YES-AHAHAHA!!! FOR THE LOVE OF GOD LEO, YES!! HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!"

"Because I think I could use some work, personally. But then again, I _am_ a perfectionist, as you know." He snickered, like the little devil he was.

"LEO SO HELP ME!!! BAHAHAHAHAHA!!!! I WILL KILL YOU!!!"

Relief came swiftly as your torturer took his hands away. He held his sides as he laughed himself silly.

"YOU!!! You JERK!!!" A coughing fit ensued, as you fought to regain any semblance of normalcy to your breathing. You punched his stomach (with little effect), scowling up at him. "You pinky promised you wouldn't do anything shifty with my ticklish spots!!!"

"I said nothing of the sort. I promised you I wouldn't tell my brothers." He shot back slyly.

You continued banging on his plastron, "I hate you, I hate you, I hate you!!!"

Still laughing, Leo grabbed your flailing hands, "Hahahaha! I'm sorry, it was just too tempting! Forgive me?"

Looking away, you pouted, "No. I'll never forgive you."

"Awe, come on, can you really resist this face?" Grinning sweetly, he leaned down, bringing your hands to his lips in an apologetic gesture of peace.

_...this kid really is dangerous with his charms._

Glowering, you tried to maintain some measure of aloofness to show your resolve. However, a small grin began cracking at the corners of your mouth.

Contrition looked so good on him -- _Dangit_.

You caved. "Maybe. But it will require a lot of groveling and butt-kissing on your part."

He smiled with relief, "I can live with that."

Your heart thumped uncomfortably against your chest as you tried to ignore how the leader's smile seemed to make your body tingle from head to toe. This wasn't ok. You couldn't get attached. -- _Off-limits (Y/n), he is off-limits!_

Leo continued to giggle, wiping tears of joy from his eyes, unaware of how you began considering him. Somehow, you couldn't help wondering if this was what he and Karai would be doing. Goofing around, enjoying each other's company. You wanted to be supportive. You really did. But something unpleasant kept gnawing at the pit of your stomach every time you thought of the two together.

Leo was... a good man. He was a kind and caring soul. You guessed a part of you worried that being with Karai might change him. Which probably wasn't fair. You didn't know her. But the concern still nagged at the back of your brain. Maybe it was because you felt like she was trying to push him into being something he wasn't, and that rubbed you the wrong way.

'Hey, Leo?" The humor was suddenly gone from your voice.

"Hm?" He tilted his head, smiling down at you still beneath him.

"I know it's probably not my place, and I think it's great that you're trying so hard for Karai, but..." You reached up and cupped his cheeks between your hands, "...but, don't try so hard that you lose sight of yourself in the process. The most important thing is that you're with someone who loves you for you. Not who you change yourself to be."

Leo's eyes widened in surprise, his mouth suddenly too dry to respond.

You looked at him with no small amount of concern, "You're wonderful just as you are, Leo. Don't forget that. Please."

Leo's hand covered yours. Within his startling blue eyes, you saw a conflicting war of emotions that you didn't quite understand.

He opened his mouth to say something before a rough voice broke the tension.

"I'm not interrupting anything, am I?"

You jumped, startled to see a grumpy looking Raph crossing his arms as he leveled a scowl towards the two of you.

Leo straightened, "Oh, Raph! I was... that is, we were - um, just about to head over to see Donnie for (Y/n)'s last check-up."

Raph scoffed, "Oh, yeah? Looks to me like you're 'bout to show her how babies are made."

You flushed, quickly trying to untangle yourself from the eldest brother. "I-it's not what it looks like! We were just fooling around!"

You winced - _Ok, wrong choice of words._

"I mean, we were just joking around!"

Leo scratched the back of his head nervously, nodding in agreement. Raph's eyes widened, noting the light pink spreading across his brother's cheeks.

He groaned inwardly. _Ugh, he's in love. Gross._

"Yeah, ok, you don't have to justify your flirting with each other."

You froze. Could he tell?? That you might, maybe, possibly have a bit of a crush on his brother? You couldn't have that. You were supposed to be helping Leo get together with Karai. Things would turn weird if he found out you harbored - other feelings for him. Quickly, you tried to correct the situation, "What!? No! We're not - it's totally not like that. That'd be like, flirting with my big brother. Right, Leo?" You nudged him in the side, too focused on convincing Raph to notice Leo's face cloud with shades of uncertainty.

 _Ohhhhh... Brother-zoned. That sucks._ The red-banded turtle felt a twinge of sympathy for the leader. Just a twinge. Raph looked between you and Leo, assessing the situation.

Maybe he bought it because he didn't ask any more questions. "Yeah, whatever. Let's get you over to Donnie's then."

Leo began to object, "I can take her."

Raph snapped, "No. Splinter wants to see you. I'll take her." He looked him in the eye, "If that's not a problem, of course, _Lea-der_."

Leo stiffened at Raph's sarcastic tone. "No. That's fine." Apologetically, he looked down at you, "Sorry (Y/n), but I'll see you when I'm done."

You smiled, "Alright." Leo nodded and cupped your chin between his fingers, grinning at you tenderly before he left.

"Alright, come on," Raph grumbled as he started heading towards Donnie's lab. His long strides made it hard for you to keep up. He looked back and rolled his eyes, "Jeez, you're slow." Grabbing you around the waist, he hauled you atop his broad, muscular shoulders.

"I was doing fine on my own! You just walk fast!" You frowned.

"Yeah, but I wanna get there before next year comes 'round." Raph retorted. You'd learned Raph could be pretty gruff, but his intentions were generally good.

Hugging the top of his head, you murmured, "Thanks, Raph" He blushed. You always found him to be surprisingly shy when you thanked him.

As he continued towards the lab, he cleared his throat, "So -uh, I was thinking… if you get a clean bill of health from the doc, I could, ya know, maybe give you some pointers on fightin'."

Flabbergasted, you almost asked him to repeat what he just said. "I thought you were against training me?"

He shrugged. "I was, n' now I'm sayin' I'm not."

Skeptical, you wanted to enquire more as to why, but didn't want to push your luck. "Well, if you're willing to teach, then I'm willing to learn!" You nodded enthusiastically.

Raph smirked, "Good, but just cuz you're a girl, don't expect me to go easy on ya."

"I wouldn't want it any other way." You smiled, resting your chin on top of Raph's head. You felt a wave of giddiness, excited for the training to come.

Raph cleared his throat again, "Don't think this training comes for free, though."

You cocked your head, "What did you have in mind for payment?"

He mumbled something.

"What?" You leaned closer.

"Pancakes."

"Pancakes?" You repeated.

"Make me more pancakes." He glanced up before bashfully looking away. "Please."

You laughed, "Well, how can I refuse when you ask so politely?"

He grinned, "cool."

There was a comfortable silence between the two of you as he drew nearer to Donnie's lab.

* * *

~ Meanwhile ~

Leo looked at his hands, recalling how they made you blush beneath him. His mind struggled with a feeling he couldn't quite put his finger on.

Something... wasn't right.


	17. Chapter 17

Donnie rushed about the lab, busily swiping scrap metal and various experiments off the floor. The young scientist wasn't usually one to bother with trivial things such as tidying, perfectly content to allow his lab to become a maze of tripping hazards that only he could navigate. But now he dutifully cleaned the room each night, anticipating his continued waltz lessons with (Y/n). She had been a great teacher, patient in some areas, and unrelenting in others. Admittedly, his posture had become much better; his once rounded shoulders began to naturally straighten and push themselves back without much thought anymore.

As he continued to tidy, the speakers (usually blasting indies music and undiscovered artists) presently played a constant rotation of romantic and classical composers. Not wanting to waste a single moment, the turtle practiced in his spare time between projects, not just for April but also for (Y/n). She'd put so much time and effort into teaching him, it seemed the least he could do to show his dedication.

A song he'd become quite fond of began playing in the background. It's rich notes, and elegant violins swept him into a bustling world of entrepreneurs and business folk. He imagined the throngs of well-dressed men smashed into uncomfortably tight shoes, gathered together while laughing and clinking glasses of scotch and brandy, mulling over investments and the latest stock options. Scattered about the room, ladies dressed to the nines fluttered their lashes while twittering like birds over tidbits of gossip, cheeks flushed with the bubbly intoxication of champagne.

All but one.

He smiled, watching the object of his affection weave between the masses. April's eyes shone bright with unsatiable curiosity, questioning the higherups on their business models and odd coercions she'd recently uncovered. Donnie loved this about her -- loved that she never settled for the first answer, that she sought the truth.

As if sensing his gaze, she paused, glancing over her shoulder at the smitten turtle. A cheeky grin tugged at her mouth's corner as she turned to face him.

The room seemed to still as Donnie closed the gap between them. Gently, he grasped April's hand, giving a small bow before placing a single, light kiss upon her knuckles. "May I have this dance?"

She nodded, hiding a shy giggle.

Pulling her close, Donnie escorted her towards the dance floor, aware of the way her beautiful auburn hair seemed to cascade down her shoulders as she smiled up at him. Pulling her snug against his body, he began leading her into a waltz. Their feet moving together in perfect harmony as if they were made for this moment. The crowd faded, and what was left was a world spinning with music and color.

April grinned up at him, her fingers shifting softly against his neck, "Donnie, I didn't know you were so good at this!"

Heat rose from where her fingers touched, causing him to bashfully look away, "I wasn't, at first, but - I wanted to learn... so I could dance with you."

Her eyes widened, a pale pink dusting her cheeks, "That's so sweet of you, D. But you didn't have to! I thought you already knew!"

"I know," Donnie whispered. His gaze returned to hers, searching, as his hands tightened around her waist. "But I wanted to. Because..." He gulped, "...Because I like you, April. A lot."

Her breath hitched.

"As in, more than a friend. Oh, uh, but-but don't get me wrong! I mean, I enjoy our friendship too, of course, but... aahh, w-what I'm trying to say is-"

A smile bloomed across her face as she stretched up on tiptoes, placing a small, gentle kiss on the turtle's lips, silencing him.

Donnie's eyes widened in surprise at the brief contact.

"I feel the same way." She whispered, her voice cracking, raw with emotion.

"You... You do?! But... since when?! H-how long have you-"

"You're such a dork." She giggled. "Couldn't you tell? I've always loved you." She twisted a long bandana tail around her finger as she cooed, "It's always been you, Donnie. Always."

The turtle's heart tightened, delirious with joy at the sweet words he'd longed to hear tumble from her full lips.

_This must be heaven... This must be..._

***KNOCK-KNOCK-KNOCK***

_...a fantasy._

Her radiant features began to fade as the incessant knocking against his door continued. He sighed at the ill-timed interruption. Looking down, he gazed at the hand that held April—his _mutant_ hand. Abnormally large and only three fingers to boot—an odd sight for anyone used to the human anatomy. He was a freak, and it was becoming more and more apparent how much of a pipedream it was to think April could ever love someone like him the way he loved her. How could she?

Donnie's large, intelligent brown eyes drooped sadly.

_Yeah, how could she..._

***KNOCK-KNOCK-KNOCK***

Righting himself, he scowled, becoming more perturbed that he'd even allowed his imagination to get that carried away. _Again._

***KNOCK-KNOCK-KNOCK-KNOCK-KNOCK***

"Yeah, yeah, I'm comin', I'm comin'. Hold on to your shell already." He begrudgingly slumped towards the door.

Unlatching the lock, he opened only a peephole of space to converse with whoever was on the opposing side. "What? I'm kinda in the middle of some--thing?" Donnie's words caught in his throat as he eyed you atop his brother's shoulders.

"Hey, D!" You waved.

His mouth hung open in surprise. "Uhh... hey."

Raph looked at him irritably, his electric green eyes shining as he grumbled, "Ya gonna let us in or what? Leo said she needed a checkup on her ankle. And she's not gettin' any lighter here."

You whacked him alongside the head. "Excuse me!? Maybe you're just not as strong as you claim to be. Wimp!"

"Munchkin."

"Steroid snacker."

He chuckled good-naturedly, that irritating smirk of his widening more. Without waiting for a response, he muscled his way past Donnie, shoving the door aside with a clang.

Strolling over to one of the tables, he set you down with surprising care. Suddenly, the hothead straightened, looking about in confusion and then disgust at the romantic melody playing in the background.

"...What the hell is this?"

"Hm?" Donnie tried playing it off like he didn't understand.

Raph's face glowered as he pointed towards the music system, "This. What kinda junk ya got playin' in here?"

"Oh, oh _that_." He coughed nervously, "Uh, I'm just, ya know, trying to gain a bit of culture, listening to more classically bent music and such."

_"Culture?"_ Raph's lip snarled at the word.

"Yes! Culture. Refined things." Donnie huffed in exasperation.

"Why the hell do ya wanna learn about _culture_? We live in the sewers, where ya gonna use that kinda knowledge?"

"SOME people just like _having_ the knowledge, Raph."

"That's stupid."

Donnie looked over at you in agitation, "Sometimes, I swear, I'm adopted."

Raph grunted, "Well, this 'culture' is givin' me a headache. Turn it off."

"Look, I don't tell you to cease that derogatory babel you call 'music' when entering _your_ domain."

Raph looked at him as if he'd spoken an alien language. "I have no idea what you just said."

"Translation: If you don't like it, leave." Donnie eyed him irritably. "Anyway, thanks for bringing her, I can take it from here."

The hulk of a turtle shrugged, settling himself beside you as if he planned to stay. Folding his tank-size arms across his chest, he huffed, "I don't mind waitin'." Glancing down at you quickly, he coughed, "Uh, cuz, ya know, Leo'll want a report on how she's doin' n' all. Not that I care or anything."

"Aww, Red! Your soft side is showing." you cooed.

"What!? I ain't got a soft side. And I just said I don't care!"

"Don't be embarrassed, ya big soft teddy bear, you!" Teasingly, you poked him in the side.

"Stop that! Like I said, it's for Leo." He insisted, batting your hands away.

Donnie nudged his brother off the table, shooing him with a dismissive look, "Well, I can tell Leo myself."

"B-but-"

"Now, out. You'll just be in the way." The scientist pushed his awkwardly stumbling brother along until he was outside the door. "Thanks again for bringing her."

You called out in the background with a quick wave, "Thanks, Red!!"

"Hey! Wait, I-"

The door slammed, followed by the distinct click of the lock falling back into place.

Raph stared at the door, bewilderment morphing into irritation as his hands and teeth clenched together. He stalked away, muttering beneath his breath as he plopped down in front of the tv like a pouting child.

Donnie sighed, resting his head against the door in exhaustion.

You looked at him apologetically, "Sorry about that, D... I didn't think he'd actually want to stay."

Donnie rolled his eyes, "Yeah, that was a first for him. It's ok, though. Raph wouldn't know something was up if it hit him in the face." Rolling a chair over beside you, he propped your foot on his leg. "Ok, now that the hulk is gone, let's see what's happening with that ankle of yours first. Have you been stretching it like I instructed?"

You nodded.

He pulled and bent your foot in different directions, curious to see if it garnered a reaction out of you. As he suspected, you seemed to be healing perfectly fine. "Excellent! Everything seems to be mending well! Your gash is nearly healed, and from the look of things, you could probably start practicing ballet again, as long as you don't push yourself too hard for the next couple of days. Yeah?"

Relief washed across your face. You'd been anxious to get back into the swing of things before school started. A whole summer without practice would have put you so far behind. "Thanks, Donnie. I really can't express how grateful I am to you!"

He grinned back, "My pleasure."

Hopping off the table, you continued to slightly favor your foot, but, for the most part, managed to put a decent amount of weight on it.

You looked at him expectantly, "So? Are you ready for your next lesson?"

His eyes widened, frantically looking around the room as he mumbled, "Oh, yes, uh... well, just let me, um..." He rushed around, throwing things out of the way haphazardly into random cupboards and drawers. "I just need to -- clean a few things here and there, and - Whoop!" He tripped over one of his contraptions in his haste, spilling the pile of gadgets he'd gathered in his hands.

You giggled, "Take your time, Donnie. There's no rush."

"R-right, sorry." He blushed, collecting his things back again as he busily moved about the room.

Smiling, you watched as he cleared an area for his lessons. He really did love April. It was easy to see. You sighed -- _if only all men could be as open about their feelings as Donnie._

Your eyes widened _\-- NOT that you were thinking of anyone in particular. Just -- men in general. Yeah._

He made his way back over to you, "Ok, I think that about does it. Where should we start?"

An idea struck you. "Hey, how do you feel about partnering with me for this dance lesson? You've been practicing on your own so far. I think it's about time we try things out for real, don't you? Especially since my ankle is pretty close to being healed. Whaddya say, doc?"

Donnie's eyes widened with an elated grin, puffing his cheeks to their max capacity. "YES!" He coughed, "I mean, yes! Sure, of course. If you think I'm ready."

"Do _you_ think you're ready?" You smirked.

He smiled back at you, confidently, "I was born ready."

* * *

Leo sat in front of Splinter, his brows knit together in concern as he studied the item between them. The sword seemed insignificant, mediocre in nature and design. Even the blade seemed a dull representation of its former self.

Splinter broke the silence, "You understand, don't you, Leonardo? She must not know about this. Not yet. Not until I examine this a while longer."

Leo nodded.

The sword was the same weapon (Y/n) had unknowingly used to defend herself in the warehouse. At the time, even while her consciousness faded, her hand gripped the weapon with inhuman strength. It had taken all four of his brothers to pry it from her fingers.

Splinter ran a paw across it, "Something unsettling lingers on this blade. Chaos swirls around it. I must meditate, see what can be revealed."

He stared into his master's eyes, unable to altogether ignore the unease building in his gut.

"...Hai, Sensei."

* * *

Leo wandered into the living room, surprised to see Raph cuddling his favorite childhood pillow while grumpily sitting in front of the TV.

He came around and plopped beside the brooding turtle, peering at him curiously. Raph eyed Leo from the side and seemed to stiffen even more. The two sat awkwardly next to each other for a few tense minutes while Krognar, the Barbarian, led his team into yet another catastrophic mess in the background.

Leonardo cleared his throat, "Uh, so? How did (Y/n)'s checkup go?"

Raph's hands tightened against the pillow as he replied tersely, "Dunno."

"What do you mean you don't know? You took her there. Did you not stay with her?"

The hothead shot off the couch, flinging the innocent pillow down as he snarled through clenched teeth, "Well, I _would've_ if Donnie had actually let me. But a _pparently_ , I was only gonna be in the way!"

Leo was taken back by his brother's sudden outburst, "What are you talking about?!"

Raph continued to mutter beneath his breath, "What's with him? First, with the romantic music, then kickin' me out." He clenched his fists into two tight balls.

"Whoah, whoah, whoah. Romantic music?"

Raph rolled his eyes, "Yeah, he was playin' some weird romantic crap in the background. Said somethin' about... tryin' ta get culturized, or whatevah." He shrugged, "Load a bull if ya ask me."

Leo's stomach flipped uncomfortably, "What do you mean?"

"Psh, what do you think? A guy tryin' ta get some "alone" time with-" Raph's voice faltered as he glanced back at his brother's apprehensive face, suddenly remembering Leo's (presumable) feelings for (Y/n).

"-Uh... nothing. Nevermind." He stiffly sat back down on the couch, suddenly immensely interested in the cartoon.

Leo's eyes drooped. He shifted his position towards the tv as well, worrying his lip between his teeth. "Romantic music, huh?"

Raph eyed him from the side, "I'm sure it was nothing. I'm just overreacting. You know how I get when people push me around, heh..." He scratched the back of his head, regretfully, "Uh, I really wouldn't worry about it."

Leo straightened in his seat, "I'm _not_ worried. Why would I be?"

"...Riiight. No reason at all." Raph watched as the leader's leg began bouncing restlessly.

After a few minutes, Leo rose from the couch and began walking towards the lab, "I'm just going to check on them... I mean, _her_."

Raph called out, "Yeah, alright. You might have a bit of trouble gettin' in, though. The door's locked."

Leo tossed a wordless glance over his shoulder before continuing forward.

"Not for long," he muttered.


	18. Chapter 18

The lab groaned with the sounds of mechanical cogs creaking against one another—their rusty scratchings and high pitched squeaks enough to drive a person mad. Today, however, they were overpowered by the symphony of stringed instruments and classical overtures. In the middle of it all, two figures danced amongst blue-lit screens and blinking lights of computer panels.

"One, two three, one, two~ Ouch!" You winced.

"S-Sorry!" Donnie jerked away, apologizing for what must have been the hundredth time.

"It's ok." Your aching foot instinctively rubbed against the back of your leg, even as you put on a smile that was meant to reassure Donnie.

He knew better, of course, and his teeth clenched together in frustration. The two of you had been at this for over an hour. He didn't understand how dancing with a partner could feel so...

_Different_.

His feet that once swept lightly across the floor seemed to drag - his fluid movements stiff and mechanical. Massaging his temples, he groaned in despair, "(Y/n), I swear, I've been practicing like crazy! "He sighed, "But I'm not any closer to being ready than I was before..."

You pushed against his drooping shoulders and scolded him firmly, "Stop it. You _are_ ready! These things just take time."

He looked at you, unconvinced.

You booped his nose softly, giggling at the way his eyes crossed, "It's true. You're just nervous, is all."

He waved your finger away from his snout," Alright, alright." Despite this, he sighed again, as if your words were simply meant to placate his feelings of doubt.

"D, if you keep sighing like that, all your happiness is gonna leak out. And then April is going to be left with a joyless husk of a dance partner. Is that what you want?"

Donnie didn't respond. His soft brown eyes cast to the floor.

Huffing, you crossed your arms over your chest and shouted, " _NO!_ The answer is _no_ , D! C'mon man, where did all that pep from earlier go?!"

Donnie's brow crinkled, and after a breath, he asked, softly, "(Y/n), be honest with me. Do you really think I have a shot at learning this in time?"

You grinned confidently, "Without question."

Donnie's eyes shot open, surprised at your quick response. Before long, a cute little smile returned to his lips, along with the slight dimple that occasionally occurred in the upper left-hand corner of his mouth. Clenching his hand into a fist, he gave an enthusiastic power pump as he exclaimed, "Alright then! _For April!_ "

" _WOO! For April!!!_ " You cheered.

The shy yet sassy scientist's tenacity (among other things) was definitely something to be admired. But by far, your most favorite thing to see was his face when he talked about April; the turtle practically lit up like a Christmas tree.

It was adorable.

Wiping the sweat from his brow, Donnie cracked his neck, making an effort to shake off his self-doubt. "Alright, let's try this again."

You regarded him thoughtfully. His body was still rigid with apprehension, which seemed to be why he was struggling so much. You'd hoped he'd simply relax with time but soon realized a different approach was necessary.

"You know what we need, Donnie-Boy? A little shakeup."

Donnie's eyes sparkled. "A shakeup?" Whipping out his pad and pen, the turtle scribbled furiously, tongue sticking out in concentration as he mumbled with excitement, "Is that some sort of ballroom term? A new move I need to address? Are these advanced instructions-"

"Whoah, whoah, whoooah! Slow down, tiger, haha!" You knocked his noggin lightly. "What I mean is, we've been listening to this sappy music for far too long. We need a little somethin'-somethin' to loosen ourselves up, ya know? Lighten the mood!"

Donnie's fingers fidgeted nervously, "Oh, um, I dunno..." his eyes darted to his playlist. You worked to suppress a chuckle. He didn't like people touching his things, but this was for his own good - not to mention your feet, which were being squashed into oblivion.

You searched through the turtle's long list of bands, noting the extensive amount of indie artists and old-time classics. Your eyes settled on one song in particular. ~ _Oh my gosh, it's perfect!_

Your finger smashed the mouse with more enthusiasm than was probably necessary, and as the music began, your foot started tapping to the subtle cowbell beat of Earth, Wind & Fire's song, "September."

Donnie looked at you inquiringly, "Who is this? Is this on my playlist?" he craned his neck to see past you.

You spun around, startling the terrapin into taking a step back with your head-bopping and finger-snappings to the sound of energetic trumpets. A teasing grin tugged at your cheeks, while Donnie's face seemed to scrunch into both alarm and apprehension. As the tempo increased, you pulled out some gloriously weird dance moves, laughing inwardly at how uncomfortable the turtle in front of you looked.

Donnie sighed in disgust, "More importantly, _what_ are you doing?"

You laughed, "Loosening up! Like you _should_ be!"

He shook his head, "You look ridiculous."

You kept dancing, throwing your hands up high and then down low, "Ummm, **you** look ridiculous, just standing there."

The turtle huffed and folded his arms across his chest. "This is serious!" He shouted over the increasing noise of the band. "We don't have time for this nonsense!"

"Awe, c'mon, Donnie! Just dance with me, will ya?!" Taking his hands, you began pulling him back and forth, wiggling his arms like they were spaghetti noodles, while the rest of his body remained stubbornly rigid.

"S-Stop it! At least let me keep some of my dignity." He grumped.

You laughed, "What's the use of dignity if you aren't having any fun!?"

Donnie rolled his eyes. "I don't even know what I'm supposed to be doing."

"Don't think about it! Just do whatever! Like this!" You spun around and pulled an Elvis pose.

"This is absurd." He huffed. Though, admittedly, the beat was very catchy. Donnie wondered why he never noticed this in his queue before. Despite himself, his hip began bouncing ever so slightly.

Your sharp eyes noticed immediately. "Ohhhhhhh!!! Do I detect little hip action there, hmm?! _HMMMM~?!?_ " Bumping your side against his, the turtle tumbled forward ungracefully.

"N-no!" he blushed.

"Are you suuuure?!"

"No! I mean, yes! I mean - You must be seeing things." He insisted.

"Oh. My bad." You moved your feet along the ground, purposefully doing a poor rendition of the moonwalk.

"What is _that_?" Donnie scowled.

"It's the moonwalk. See?" You tried your best not to smile at how offended he looked.

" _That?!_ That is _not_ moonwalking. Move over.”

Donnie shooed you out of the way, to which you happily obliged so he could "demonstrate" how to properly moonwalk. To his credit, he was actually quite good. He smiled triumphantly, finishing with a little spin at the end for added flair.

You grinned.

"Oh, so, like this?" You gave a little more effort to do it correctly.

"Almost. You'll get there. It just takes practice."

You giggled, "You're so good at this D."

You could practically see his nose growing with pride. "Oh-ho-ho! It's nothing. Totally an amateur move." He grinned cheekily at you, a twinkle in his eye, "You think that's cool, check this out!" Getting low on the floor, Donnie flipped on his back and began spinning on his shell.

"Ohhhhhh, cheater! I don't have a shell to spin on!"

"Perks of being a turtle." He smirked, knocking on the hard shell that made up the majority of his back.

You watched gleefully as Donnie slowly began loosening his inhibitions, and soon, the two of you were freely dancing about the room, arms and legs flailing like a bunch of jellyfish gone mad. The lab resonated with your giggles as you both sang along, your voices completely off-tune from the artist.

Neither of you cared.

_Ahhh, this is the best!_ \-- You thought as Donnie spun you about. His big hands easing you down into a dramatic, sweeping dip.

You grinned up at his carefree expression, "Are you having fun?"

He nodded, returning your smile, "Yeah, actually."

"Good." Straightening, you took his hands in yours, gently squeezing his oversized fingers, "That's how dancing should be. Even when we're doing the waltz, you should be enjoying yourself." You patted his shoulder, "You can always tell when someone is having a good time or not. And I want you to feel like you can loosen up and have fun when it comes time to teach April. I know, whatever happens, she's going to appreciate the help, good or bad. So, _try_ not to stress over this too much."

You looked into Donnie's honey-colored eyes, watching the buildup of first-love anxiety swirl within them.

His fingers softly laced with yours, "I know. And I'm sure you're right, but..." He clenched his teeth, "I think I would die if she saw me like this." He answered your questioning gaze firmly, "I want her to look at me as someone she can depend upon when they say they're going to help. I don't want to go back on my word." Twiddling his thumbs, he mumbled, "Also, I thought, maybe at the end of all this that I could finally tell her..."

You tilted your head questioningly, though you already knew the answer to what you were about to ask, "Tell her what?"

"I... I want to be able to say to her," Donnie's expression softened, but his eyes shone bright with determination as he recited what he'd long held in his heart, "April..."

Even the utterance of her name seemed to weigh on his lips like something precious.

"April... I...I..."

* * *

The lock to the lab groaned and creaked as Leo's hard work picking and prying it apart finally paid off. He grumbled to himself while opening the door, "Who locks themselves in a room for a simple medical checkup?"

Rounding the corner, he found Donnie clasping your hands in his as he practically shouted, "...I love you!"

The air in Leo's lungs froze; his stomach clenched as if he'd just ingested a sackful of rocks.

He heard your small intake of air at the declaration.

"I've always loved you. You're... You're everything to me. And, even if you can't return these feelings of mine, I still wanted to... no, needed to tell you this."

Leo watched as your expression morphed from shock to a shy smile, giving his brother's hands an encouraging squeeze as you whispered fondly, "Donnie..."

The leader's fists clenched and unclenched as a genuine ache tightened within his chest. _Did... Did (Y/n)... feel the same way about Donnie?_ He didn't even know that they were...That she was...

The shock was hard to process; he'd always thought _April_ was Donnie's everything. When had the two of you become so close? Not that it was any of his business. He should be happy for his brother, even more so if you felt the same way back. It was unthinkable that any of them would ever find love, and far be it from him to deny his brother a chance at happiness. Still, Leo couldn't conjure up the joy he so desperately wanted to feel for some reason.

_I... probably shouldn't be here_ \-- He turned his back on the 'happy couple,' hoping to silently take his leave before anyone noticed.

"Oh god, L-Leo?"

The leader froze in place, hesitantly peering over his shoulder at Donnie's wide eyes that were fastened on him in horror.

He sighed. _Well, guess the cat's out of the bag now._

* * *

Of course. **Of course,** it had to be him. -- You could feel your heart pounding painfully against your ribcage. 

The leader's gaze flicked between you and his brother.

Donnie quickly dropped your hands, stepping back to give you ample room. You looked at him imploringly, instinctively wanting to reach out and bring him back to shield you from Leo's penetrating gaze.

"Hello." The leader responded dryly. A chill ran up your spine at the emotionless tone of the usually courteous turtle.

He let the silence hang while the two of you shifted uneasily in front of him.

"I-" Your voice cracked, "I can explain-"

Leo cocked his head, "Explain why Donnie is holding your hands and confessing his love for you? I'm not sure that kind of thing needs explaining."

Your face reddened, "Th-That's not what's happening here!"

"I must have misheard him when he said, no, shouted, 'I'm in love with you.'"

You scratched your cheek -- _Ah, well... I guess I can see why he'd think that._

Donnie stumbled forward, waving his hands in distress, "Y-You've got it all wrong! Well, actually, not entirely wrong. I was confessing, but-"

"I see." If possible, Leo's frown became even more severe. Straightening his back, he gave a swift bow that could have sliced through steel, "My apologies for interrupting the moment." He took a step back, "I'll show myself out. Congratulations, by the way."

Leo groaned at how his last remark came out more as a sneer than a heartfelt compliment. He felt like such a child. Turning, he wanted nothing more than to escape this whole situation.

"W-Wait!" You shot the scientist a withering glare. This was becoming unnecessarily messy. "What Donnie is trying to say is~ _Hey!_ " Much to your surprise, the leader was already making tracks towards the door.

"Hey! Stop!" You moved towards his retreating form.

When it was apparent he had no intention of slowing down, your irritation got the best of you, "I said, **stop!!** " Frantically, you yanked your shoe off and hobbled after him even faster. With little time to think, you hurled the makeshift projectile towards the leader with a speed that shocked even you. The shoe ricocheted off his head, causing him to pause just long enough for you to fling your body forward and tackle him to the ground.

"L-Let go!" He flailed beneath your grasp.

"No!" You growled, tightening your iron grip around his waist, "I'm not letting you go before you hear us out!"

You shouted back towards Donnie, " _Oi!_ Don't you think it's about time you cleared up this insanity!?"

Donnie sighed, awkwardly watching the scene in front of him, like two fish flopping around on dry land. "I guess you're right. Leo... Leo? Hello? _Leo!_ " He came over and whacked his brother alongside the head. " **LEO!** Stop struggling, will ya? I'll explain everything."

The leader remained face down on the floor as he pouted, "Why is everyone so focused on hitting my head today?"

* * *

The tension in Leo's shoulders began to fade, feeling somewhat ashamed at how relieved he was that the two of you were not an item. 

"So you see, the confession was really for April, not me." You concluded, after having explained how everything had transpired.

The leader sat opposite you, one leg casually crossed over the other as it bounced impatiently. He grumbled softly, "Well, he didn't have to hold your hands while confessing it."

"Pardon?" You cocked your head to the side.

"Nothing." He sighed and rubbed his temples in agitation, "So, let me get this straight. Despite not knowing anything, Donnie promised to teach April the waltz for her works upcoming gala..."

The two of you nodded, and his focus returned to you, "and then you walked in on him practicing, realized he was basically a lost cause, and offered to help..."

"Wha?! Hey! I wasn't that bad!" Donnie looked to you for support, "Right?" You shot him a glance, one skeptical brow raised.

"You were dancing with a dummy."

"Excuse me, that 'dummy' is my pride and joy." He countered.

Leo grinned, "Oh, are you talking about the Pho-April he keeps stored in here?"

Donnie straightened, "Wait, how do you know about her?"

"Everyone knows about her."

" _Everyone?_ " Donnie's eyes bulged slightly.

"Everyone," Leo smirked.

Donnie sank to the floor in dismay, " _Is nothing sacred in this family?!_ "

Leo shook his head, "Not when you have Mikey for a brother."

You worked to stifle your laughter.

Sighing with resignation, Donnie grumped, folding his arms across his chest, "Fine, I'll admit it wasn't my finest hour."

Leo chuckled, "Right. So then you asked (Y/n) not to say anything about the dance lessons because you were too embarrassed at how we might react. That sound about right?"

"In a nutshell." You nodded.

Uncrossing his legs, Leo stood with a nod. "M'kay. I think I get the gist of things."

You remained cautious, "Really? I mean... you actually believe us?"

His lips quirked mischievously as he drew closer to you, "What do you mean, 'really'? Were you hoping I wouldn't?" When he was within arm's reach, he rubbed your head affectionately.

"Well, no...but..." You peered up at him from beneath his hand.

His easy acceptance had taken you off guard. Maybe, you realized with a grimace, he didn't care if Donnie was confessing his love to you. The thought made your stomach sour a little.

— _stupid feelings_.

You mumbled quietly, "I guess I just thought... ya know..." Unable to finish your sentence, you eyed the ground, scuffing at a particular spot with your sock-covered toe, the tip of it darkening with dirt. You rolled the makeshift shoe missile between your hands, fiddling with the laces absentmindedly.

He chuckled, "Sit over there."

You did as you were told, surprised when he casually took your shoe from your hands.

"Your foot."

When you looked at him quizzically, he raised an eye ridge, adding teasingly, "Please?"

Tucking your foot behind your other leg, you stammered bashfully, "Oh, uh, you don't have to-"

"(Y/n)."

From the tone of his voice, this obviously wasn't a request.

"F-Fine." Stubbornly, you plopped your foot on his outstretched hand, face heating with embarrassment.

Leo slid the rough side of his palm as gently as possible down your calves, perching your foot carefully on his knee. The tender contact made your stomach flop until it twisted itself into a bird's nest of knots. Loosening the laces, he slipped your shoe on with the same care as someone would expect from a prince.

Focused on the task in front of him, Leo murmured, "I understand why you'd think my reaction would be different, especially after what happened last time. And, maybe my initial conclusion to what was going on here was a bit hasty. But..." He licked his lower lip nervously, "... I trust you." His fingers tugged the strings securely in place before easing your foot back onto the floor.

Your eyes widened in surprise.

He looked up at you and smirked, "That, and you're a terrible liar."

"Hey!" Your hands protested lightly against his chest while trying to retort, "Takes one to know one!"

He chuckled, the sound deep and pleasant. Leo's three large, green fingers reached up towards your cheek, the tips softly grazing your skin as he brought his forehead to yours and purred, "Somehow, I like that we have that trait in common."

Heat began to creep across your skin, and you found some difficulty focusing as the warm, damp air from his mouth mingled with your own. It tasted minty — like he'd just brushed his teeth. Your eyes settled on his lips, making you all the more curious about what they must feel like. Soft? Leathery? Chapped? They twitched, and a telling smirk stretched across the leader's face. You bristled, knowing full well that he was laughing at the multiple shades of red you were turning.

He whispered in your ear teasingly, "Such a cute red."

_J-J-Jerk!!_

You swiftly stood up and pivoted towards Donnie, voice cracking as you fumbled, "W-Water! I need water! D-Do you have any water around here?!"

"Yeah, there's some in the fridge towards the back of the lab — left corner."

You shimmied away from Leo's taunting gaze, mumbling 'thanks' just before beating feet towards your liquid sanctuary.

Donnie quickly shouted after you, "Ah, it's the blue fridge. The one that rattles like it's about to explode, not the red one. Do _not_ open the red one!"

You looked at him suspiciously.

He wagged his finger at you, threateningly, "Promise me you will not open it."

"Fine, fine. I won't."

Donnie sighed wearily as he watched you toddle away. He stole a glance at his eldest brother, whose eyes also followed your retreating figure, a grin tugging at the side of his mouth.

Donnie asked curiously, "What are you doing here, anyway?"

As if the question brought him back to reality, Leo's smile quickly faded as he answered cooly, "There was just a misunderstanding." His brow furrowed as he mumbled, "I'm not sure why Raph considers this music romantic, though."

It was beginning to click together.

Donnie smirked, "Ah, I see." He eyed Leo, teasingly, "So that's why you came?"

The leader's face stiffened.

"You thought I was trying to get all _romantic_ with her, huh?" Donnie smirked, nudging Leo in the side. "Did it make you a little, I don't know, _jealous? Hmmm?_ " Donnie chuckled, and Leo joined him; the two giggled to themselves like a couple of schoolboys having fun swapping stupid stories together. Wrapping an arm around his brother's shoulder, Leo smiled good-naturedly at Donnie's intended jab at light-hearted humor.

"And why would I be jealous?"

A hair-raising chill rattled through Donnie's bones as his brother's friendly gaze turned frigid. The hand that had been casually resting on Donnie's shoulder incrementally tightened its hold until the young scientist began wincing in pain.

"I understand the situation." Leo stated firmly, "However..." His brow twitched in irritation, "...perhaps it would be best if you confessed to the _actual_ person you're interested in, instead of using (Y/n) as a stand-in. Yes?"

Donnie nodded vigorously. "Yes, of course. You can stop squeezing now. I get it! I GET IT!!"

Releasing his hold, Leo patted his brother's shoulder happily as if he didn't have it in a vice grip just two seconds ago.

Donnie grumbled as he massaged his bruised limb. "Jeeze, Leo. Rip my arm off, why don't ya?"

Leo shot him a glare, "You'll be lucky if that's the _only_ thing I rip off."

Donnie laughed nervously, realizing it was probably in his best interest to end the conversation there.

"AAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!!" The turtles froze as a bloodcurdling scream came from the back.


	19. Chapter 19

  
Your legs dangled over Leo's as he gingerly perched you atop his lap. His brother sat before you, an evident scowl on his face as he rummaged through his medical kit.

"I told you not to open that fridge. _Didn't I tell you not to open it?!?_ "

"Yes." You mumbled, wincing as he jabbed a cotton swab fully loaded with rubbing alcohol against your forearm. The pungent odor practically lit your nostrils on fire, as a fresh wave of tiny needles prickled where the alcohol touched.

Would it hurt him to be a _little_ gentler? Or was this his form of punishment?

"So, of course, you decided to open it."

Leo protectively drew you closer, "Alright, Donnie, she gets it. You can ease up already."

"You're taking her side?!" Donnie cried incredulously.

Feeling somewhat emboldened within Leo's grasp, you shot the purple-clad turtle a glare, "Hey! Telling someone not to open something is like, practically begging them to do the opposite, ya know!!"

Leo flicked your forehead.

"Ouch!"

"Not helping." He scolded, leveling a severe frown at you that quickly melted into a grin at your adorable pout.

"Unbelievable," Donnie grumbled, slapping an Iron Man bandaid on your arm. You scowled, distinctly recalling having told him that you preferred the Spiderman ones. However, since you were currently not in his good graces, it was probably best to hold your tongue.

"Anyways," You held your arm protectively, already picking at the edges where the bandaid hadn't fully adhered to your skin, "how was I supposed to know you had something like that living in your fridge?!"

"You're _supposed_ to just listen to me in the first place and not open the door."

You muttered, "And here I thought you'd be proud of my inquisitive mind."

Donnie's mouth clamped shut. Leo whipped his face to the side to conceal the small snicker escaping his lips.

The purple turtle shot him a glare, "I saw that. Don't encourage her."

Leo's face broke into a grin as he shrugged nonchalantly, "What? I didn't say anything."

Donnie sighed, kneading his temples as if he'd been set back one hundred years on an experiment on the verge of success, "Now I have to re-stabilize all her vitals."

You scratched your head, "What exactly _is_ she?"

Donnie busily packed away the ointments and bandages into the medical box. Snapping it shut, he stated flatly, "An April-Derp."

You blinked. "I'm sorry, a what now?"

Leo shook his head, "Donnie, why do you even have that thing in here? Can't you move it somewhere else?"

"Oh, sure, Leo, let me just, I don't know, move it to my bedroom. Because _that_ won't be awkward if April finds a derpy version of herself residing there."

Leo rolled his eyes, "Yeah, finding a derpy version of herself shoved in your lab's fridge is so much better."

"For the record, it's not a fridge. It's a cryo-chamber that looks like a fridge. Just to be clear." The scientist adjusted his bandana as if the explanation made the derps habitation in his lab more rational.

Leo huffed, crossing his arms, "Whatever. Shouldn't we just dispose of it? It _is_ a Krang experiment, after all. Nothing good can come from something like that."

Donnie was on his feet in seconds, "What?! No! If they're researching April, I want to know why. She may be the key to developing a better anti-mutagen. You _know_ what that would mean to dad... and... maybe even us."

_Derps? Krang experiments? Anti-mutagen?_

Your finger tapped lightly on Leo's chest, his breath caught, and you wondered if you hit a ticklish area on that iron body of his. "Leo, what are you two talking about?"

He smiled down at you, his irises softening from their usual deep-sea blue, "Stuff I don't necessarily want you to know about just yet." His gaze fell to your small bandaid. He ran his fingers over the top of it as if the simple touch could heal your freshly fractured skin. He murmured, partially to himself, "But, I recognize you'll eventually need to know more... if..."

You tilted your head, "...If?"

He sighed, absentmindedly skimming over your arms soft peach fuzz hair. It felt nice in a weird sort of way.

"If you still want to be friends with us."

 _If I still want to be friends with them?_ Your heart dropped. _What did he mean by that?_

The leader's brow furrowed, "It's hard to explain. Our world is so dangerous, and the last thing I want is for you to get caught up in any of it. Logically, once Splinter thinks it's safe to send you back, that will be the end of things. And we'll never see each other again. That's how it should be." He nodded. "That's what would keep you safest."

 _Never see each other?!_ You could already feel yourself growing more and more upset. _Shouldn't that be_ **my** _decision?_

Leo continued, "It _would_ be the safest decision, and what is in your best interest. You wouldn't have to worry about people breaking into your apartment and kidnapping you just to get to us. Just by association, we're putting you in danger. Logically, I know this. But... I already..." He stopped, shyly correcting himself, "I mean, _we_ already consider you part of our family."

His hands slid down your arms before gently entangling his fingers between yours. "Selfishly, it would be hard to let you go." He paused. "That is... _I_ would have a hard time letting you go."

Your breath caught at Leo's unexpected admission.

Biting your lip, you looked down, hiding your face from the leader's gaze. When you didn't respond, Leo's bright blue eyes morphed into worry as he felt your body begin to tremble.

"S-Sorry, I shouldn't have said... I mean, you don't have to decide now, of course. Obviously, whatever decision you make, we will honor it. So... please don't feel like you're obligated in any way to stay-"

"You're such an idiot." You whispered, pressing your forehead against his chest. Raising two tiny fists, you banged softly against his plastron in irritation, letting out a half-concealed sniffle despite your best efforts.

Leo's tilted his head in confusion.

Unsure of what to do with the emotional ball squished against him, he gathered you into his arms, hugging you gently while stroking your head, offering small shh's of comfort.

"You're a complete and total moron!" You choked, raising two bloodshot eyes up at him, nose running in a way that would have otherwise been embarrassing. "Of course!"

His brow furrowed, "Of course?"

"Of course, I'm going to stay friends with you! You're such a dummy! Why would I not?" You spat out angrily, " _Danger!?_ It's gonna take a lot more than that to get rid of me, Leonardo Hamato!"

Leo froze, his eyes widening in shock.

You buried your face in his chest again as you hiccuped, "So just deal with it. You're stuck with me. Whether you like it or not-"

Your words were cut off, muffled against Leo's strong embrace.

_Mmpf!! C-Can't... breathe...!!!_

Leo couldn't control the slight shudder that seemed to rack his body. Part of him feared what you would say. That once this was all over, that would be the end. You would go back to your life and forget about him -- _them_. Was it ok, to be selfish just this once? He brought your chin up and touched his forehead to yours. Just this once.

Let me be selfish.

His eyes crinkled as he smiled, the small multicolored spots of green across his face stretching as he answered breathily, "If that's what you want, then prepare yourself. Because I'm going to stay annoyingly close to your side from now on."

You sniffed, allowing him to gently wipe away the salty streaks of water running down your cheek.

He winked, a light tease coming back to his voice, "Since, ya know, you have a propensity for getting into all kinds of trouble."

You grinned, trying to hide the fact you could feel a trickle of snot making its way down the inside of your nostril. "Is that a promise?"

Leo held out his third digit, grinning, "It's a pinky promise."

Your face beamed. Hooking your pinky to his, you nodded, "Pinky promise. No takebacks."

Leo looked at you with satisfaction, his cheeks puffing with happiness as an adorably shy grin made its way across his face.

A loud crunch came from the side. The two of you looked over to see Donnie sitting with his Pho-April mannequin, snacking on a bag of almonds. "Oh, don't mind us."

The leader rolled his eyes and growled, "Do you think you could maybe give us a minute?"

Donnie stood up, clutching the makeshift mannequin at its side, "Sure, no problem, I'll just be over here, continuing my dance lessons -- _by myself_." He glared at the eldest.

Leo shot him a glance, an evil grin creeping to his lips, "Oh yes, how could we forget. Your _lessons_."

"Yeah, you know, the ones you kind of _interrupted_? Just sayin."

Shifting you off of his lap, Leo stood and strode towards his brother. "My apologies. Allow me to make it up to you by teaching you a couple of things."

Donnie balked, "Um... excuse me?"

"Give me your hands."

Taking a step back, the genius turtle stammered fretfully, "W-What are you doing? I don't think-"

"Your _hands_ , Donatello."

"Eep!" Donnie let out a small squeak before quietly complying, his face taking on a shade of red that would have put Raph's mask to shame.

"It's simple. Your job is to lead April confidently through the steps. If you're unsure, the whole thing will fall apart."

"I know that, but-"

"Imagine yourself as a boat, guiding her through the treacherous sea of steps."

Donnie gulped, "A-A boat. Right."

"Focus on the way I'm leading you. You shouldn't even have to think about your movements." Without another word, Leo began directing Donnie through the waltz.

Honestly, you felt some serious second-hand embarrassment for Donnie. He looked so uncomfortable - especially with the way Leo's hand rested a little too casually against his hip.

Though, it was actually pretty spectacular to see how effortless the blue-clad turtle seemed to be leading them around the room. It was like... Leo had done this before.

Was that even possible?

_Pffft, no way._

You sighed _. How did the fearless leader manage to look so graceful even with this? Was there anything he wasn't good at?_

_Oh yeah, the toaster. Heh-heh-heh._

As Leo turned, Donnie looked over his shoulder at you, beaming, "L-Look (Y/n)!! I'm dancing! _I'm dancing!_ "

You smiled, not wanting to burst his bubble that he was, in fact, only doing the ladies' part.

Resting your chin in your hands, you couldn't help but giggle at the awkward pair. As you watched the two, you missed the pitter-patter of feet approaching until...

***SPLAT***

Your head jerked up, noticing for the first time the two additional turtles that had suddenly joined the party. Mikey, who had been holding a slice of pizza, was slack-jawed and now pizza-less. The unfortunate portion having fallen to the floor in a heap of gooey, cheesy deliciousness. Beside him, Raph also looked on in horror at the pair dancing hand in hand with each other.

Mikey was the first to speak, his voice practically ringing throughout the lab like a blowhorn, "Broooooo, what theeee-?!"

Raph quickly covered his younger brother's eyes and mouth, though you could tell by the look on his face he wasn't sure why. He just knew they'd witnessed something they probably shouldn't have.

Donnie spun around, his once elated face falling into despair at the sight of his two brothers.

Raph stepped back, taking Mikey with him as he gradually retreated towards the exit. "S-Sorry we didn't... I didn't know that..." He looked at Leo, who remained expressionless. He gulped, sweat running down his forehead as he unintentionally began suffocating Mikey with his increasingly tight grip. Mikey swatted at his brother's hands, his face taking on a cooler shade of green with the lack of oxygen. "D-Does... Does dad know that you two are... that... that you're...?!"

"What?! No! This is all just a big misunderstanding! Right, Leo!?" Donnie looked at him in a full-blown panic. "Leo!?!?"

Leo smirked, "What's there to misunderstand?" He leaned against his brother's shoulder, cooing gently, "I'd say it's exactly as it seems."

" _W-W-W-What!?!?_ " Donnie sputtered.

Raph blushed furiously, "Uh, r-right, well, we're just gonna, ya know, leave you guys be then." He glanced back at you, worry etched in his face before bolting from the scene, dragging a half-dead Mikey by the shell.

"My... my pizzaaa... Nuuu!!" Mikey groaned, his hand halfheartedly reaching out towards his fallen snack before completely disappearing behind the door.

Donnie shoved Leo in the arm, his eyes tearing up in both stress and disbelief," W-What was that?! Why didn't you correct them?!!? Who knows what kind of obscene things Raph has conjured up in that small brain of his!!!"

Leo shrugged, "What was there to correct? We were just dancing." He shot his brother a look. "Of course, no one would be silly enough to interpret that as something else. Right?"

Donnie gulped.

Leo's eyes twinkled dangerously, "May I suggest that you thoroughly explain what you and (Y/n) have been up to in here, so there are no more unnecessary misunderstandings."

He stretched, smiling triumphantly while adding, "On the bright side, now there's no reason for you to lock the door while practicing with (Y/n). Isn't that nice?"

Donnie grumbled, "All I wanted was a _little_ privacy with this whole ordeal. Is that too much to ask!?" He stomped after Mikey and Raph, muttering about the unfairness of life.

You glanced over at Leo, who still wore a smug look on his face. Shaking your head, you chuckled, "And you call _me_ trouble."

He smiled back at you without apology, "I'm learning from the best, s _en-sei._ "

You blushed.

Ah, how you wanted to kiss that self-satisfied look right off his face.

... In the most platonic way possible. Of course.

*cough*


End file.
